Shades of Black
by Kotei-Heika
Summary: How will Shin Makoku react when they learn that their Maou has a twin sister? And what will happen when they find out that the Maou's twin sister can kill them with a touch? What will happen when she gets involved in the future of Shin Makoku...? Gwen/Kag
1. Chapter 1

**Shades of Black**

**Chapter 1**

In the Palace of the Original King Shino, the Head Priestess Ulirike was meditating in the large, seemingly cold room with Shino himself looking on at nothing in particular, lost in thought for things long past. That was until an almost overwhelming flash of pure, sharp energy exploded through the land of Shin Makoku that had Ulrike and the founding ruler gasping in surprise and shock. Even the Koshihitzuku dropped from the sky and started huddling together in seeming fear startling all citizens, commoners and nobles alike.

Lord Gwendal von Voltaire felt the disturbance in his very soul and stood from the chair in his office, completely ignoring the paperwork in front of him. He was on his way outside to see what in the world was going on when Gunter burst into the room in a panic.

"Gwendal!" shouted the lilac haired man. "The Maou! The Maou's back!"

The Maou? Yuri's appearance have never caused such a rush of environmental commotion before. What in the world was going on?

Seeing his younger brothers almost flying in a rush behind Gunter he decided to follow and all four men flung themselves on saddles and went straight for The Palace of the Original King to the bewilderment and anxiety of the people around them.

"Aniue!" Wolfram called from his horse a little behind his. "Did you feel it too?!"

Gwendal's only response was a knot on his brow and to urge his horse to go faster until he came astride Conrart.

"I don't have any Maryoku and still I felt that," Conrart muttered to him as they both rode astride each other without looking at his older brother. "That was not Yuuri."

"Hn." The oldest child of the previous Maou replied.

Conrart was right, of course; that was not Yuuri at all.

Arriving at the temple; everyone rushed forward and went inside; none of the guards dared stop them. All of them rushed towards the fountain where Yuuri usually appeared, swords drawn for any threat and saw that Shinou and Ulrike were already there.

"Ulrike-sama! What happened?!" Gunter exclaimed as they stopped in front of the priestess. "Where is Yuuri-heika?!"

At the grim look on Shinou's face and the fact that he had not glanced at them once, all four men stiffened and remained alert as they caught their breaths and waited for the threat to arrive.

Suddenly, a pair of familiar black heads of hair bobbed out of the water's surface and two 19 year old boys gasped in much needed air as they came up. Conrart, Wolfram and Gunter all sighed in relief and lowered their swords as they saw their Maou appear however Gwendal's battle worn senses refused to relax especially since he had noticed Shinou had not moved a single muscle and kept on staring at the Maou and the Great Sage.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram cried out, sounding angry but sporting a hot blush on his face as he approached his fiancé beside a smiling Conrart and Gunter. "You idiot! What the hell took you so long to get back! Y-"

To their amazement, Yuuri stopped them with a look from his cat slit eyes while Murata glanced at them and Yuuri warily. Yuuri then turned away from them and knelt into the water, snapping coldly at Murata. "Now."

Murata merely nodded; uncharacteristically serious; even a little frightened; and knelt into the water again as well. Both black clad young men reached into the water and, pulling at the exact same time; they managed to pull out another raven haired figure to the surface. Although this one's exotic raven colored hair reached the small of her back and had slightly tanned skin. She was wearing what Gwendal would assume would be the female version of the black college raiment Yuuri and Murata were both wearing. It was entirely in black from the skirt to the blazer and feet seemed to be encased in dark brown leather boots. The most noticeable thing about the girl held between their Maou and Great Sage was the fact that she was flailing and sputtering like mad. And the aura around her was enough to make Shinou-heika flinch.

"Hanashite!" she demanded, screaming now and trying to tug her wrists out of both boys' hands. Murata let go of her immediately and stepped off the fountain, shooting both of them a wary and concerned glance before hiding his eyes behind his glasses and avoiding Shinou's glances. "Yuuri! Hanashite!"

"Iie." Was all Yuuri said; his voice cold and uncompromising before tugging her off the fountain and ignoring everyone around him as he tugged the struggling young woman behind him without any seeming effort whatsoever.

"Yuuri, please—"

"Iie."

Reason and sanity seemed to have left Wolfram when he saw the young woman being dragged along by _his_ fiancé and he forgot who he was dealing with as he angrily stomped towards Yuuri. "Yuuri! You cheater!"

But he was frozen on the spot at the ice cold look on the soukoku king's face. It wasn't just him but the entire assembly stopped in their tracks as though held still by a terrifying, unseen force. For the first time since they've known him, the Maou's entire entourage felt fear churn their insides in the presence of their naively kind, innocent Maou. Sure they have been held in awe of the young ruler multiple times in the past but they had never _ever_ feared for their personal well being while in his presence before. This was different. Whatever mood Yuuri was in right now, it was bad enough to kill any of them if they made one wrong move. Even Gwendal could do nothing but stand there, cold sweat dotting his brow at the mixed auras mingling in the same area. Even Ulrike was standing behind Murata, trembling in discomfort as she stared at the Maou and the young woman.

The girl seemed oblivious to this, however, as she continued to struggle against Yuuri's grasp. "Yuuri, stop it! Let go! I said, let _go_!"

Instead of complying, Yuuri merely turned his eyes over to a perfectly still Conrart. "Have you brought Ao with you?"

"H-hai, Yuuri-heika." Conrart stuttered, struggling to stay calm.

"Good." Was all he said before dragging the still struggling girl away from the crowd.

As soon as he was out of earshot, each and every one of them turned their eyes over to a serious and worried Murata; everyone asking the same silent question.

_Who was that girl?_

"Geika…?" Ulrike began to ask tentatively.

"Her name is Higurashi Kagome," Murata Ken sighed, pushed his glasses up and looked up into the sky wearily before he answered. "She's Shibuya's twin sister…"


	2. Chapter 2

A.N.: Oh yes, this chapter is dedicated to Tinas86Roses, Pri-Chan 1410 and Tsuchi no'Kage for being the first people who left reviews for this story. Man, I wasn't expecting a response so soon after I posted the story as it was merely a random thought brought about by my eternal love for Gwendal and one of the three most incredible females in the anime world. I write using this as a stress reliever so I hope I can more than meet your expectations while doing that.

Thank you so very much.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.**

**Chapter 2**

"Let go, Yuuri."

"Iie."

"LET GO!"

The brothers, Gunter, Shinou and Murata had followed Yuuri as he continued to drag Kagome all throughout the hallways of Blood Pledge Castle, even ignoring Greta who had looked on in worry at the unusually dark mood her foster father was in. The servants turned to each other and cowered; something they never did when the Maou arrived. They would usually greet him with much joy. All of them did not fail to notice how Yuuri had not let go of Kagome's wrist since arriving in Shin Makoku despite how much she struggled and begged and pleaded. Curiously, though, they also noted how she would avoid hurting him.

Cheri, noticing the commotion rushed to the entrance, holding the worried little girl by the shoulders as they watched the unusual spectacle of their Maou dragging the struggling, sopping wet young woman behind him.

"Gwen," she intercepted her eldest son as he moved to follow his king along with his brothers. "What's going on?"

"A problem, Hahaue," he answered in a small sigh. "That's what's going on."

And then all Cheri could do watch her eldest son as he followed their king who seemed intent into getting into the royal sleeping quarters upstairs with the young woman he was with. Usually she would go into a wild frenzy theorizing about the Maou's unrequited love for the girl and how he obsessed over her making him whisk her away and lock her up in the castle. But her instincts told her otherwise. There was more to this than what meets the eye and she can't help but thank Shinou for the fact that Annisina was not here to add to Gwendal's stress. The lady was called away by her brother for assistance in the estate harvest this year.

Watching her eldest during these particular times made her both proud and sad. Proud because what woman wouldn't be with a son so capable and so worthy that he might as well be a king himself? Sad because she knew that power came with a price. It only doubled her pain to watch him go through a life filled with hardship and responsibilities and never once did Gwendal complain. He bore it all like the true nobleman that he was. She only wished that her eldest son would find a way to complete that missing part of his soul that he didn't even notice was missing but Cheri knew better. He was her son, after all.

"Come, Greta," the former Maou smiled at the little girl kindly. "Why don't we leave them alone for a while and have tea? I'm sure Gwendal will tell us what's going on as soon as they get Yuuri and his friend settled."

"…Alright…" Greta had become a bright and perceptive child and she knew that whatever it was that was happening, the adults would be able to solve it better without her around. It didn't help that she wanted to ease whatever was causing Yuuri so much pain though.

The three brothers who were also the most trusted advisors of the 27th Maou followed Yuuri towards a room he had sent Gunter ahead to prepare. Rooms beside his own spacious bedroom and a set of dry dresses were the specific orders the royal tutor was given. They didn't speak to interfere with the whole business yet for, although Murata told them about Yuuri's relation to this girl, they have yet to know why he was treating her like this. The reincarnation of the Great Sage promised them an explanation tiredly after they've calmed Yuuri down.

Still Gwendal was extremely worried about the Maou's sanity. It looked like the young man had snapped. This girl's pleas and begging and desperation would normally open up Yuuri's eternally bleeding heart but this time it was as though he were made of stone. What unforgivable sin did this girl commit to anger a person like Yuuri this way?

Seeing Gunter standing with a slight bow in front of a pair of heavy doors, Yuuri stopped in front of the lilac haired man. "Is this the room?"

"Hai, heika."

"And did you comply with her dresses?"

"A bathrobe and sleeping robe will be supplied for her until Doria and Sangria can take her measurements and then we will set the royal tailor to fashion appropriate clothes for the lady." Gunter answered with the formality he usually never showed Yuuri.

Clearly the man was wary.

"Good. Make sure they make enough to last her a very long stay here."

"Iie!" Kagome immediately protested, now tugging onto Yuuri's sleeve as she tried to get him to look at her. "You can't do this, Yuuri! Don't do this! I'm begging you!"

"I want them ready by the end of the day." Yuuri issued further orders, completely ignoring the horrified girl before dragging her inside the room, almost throwing her in.

Gwendal and the others gathered just beyond the threshold of the open doors, awaiting further orders from their king and couldn't help but watch as Yuuri finally released the young woman's wrist, almost causing her to fall face first on the floor. Fortunately she seemed to possess a grace that eluded Yuuri on a normal day and caught herself before spinning gracefully around to look her brother in the eye and Gwendal had to suck in a breath at the blazing black eyes so similar and yet so different to their Maou. For inside the deep onyx orbs, surrounding the pupils were rings of warm gold light that seemed to be portraying her fury. The hairs on all their napes stood on end at the unfamiliar and malicious energy.

It was neither maryokou or houjutsu. What was this?

Yuuri didn't seem to care. "This is where you are staying from this day on. You are allowed to step out of your room and walk as far as the royal gardens unescorted but anywhere else outside Blood Pledge Castle is forbidden to you."

"How dare you?!" Kagome spat at him. "You have no right to forbid me to do _anything_!"

"Well that changes now. I am Maou of Shin Makoku and what I say here is law; do you hear me, Kagome? So when I say you are not leaving here then you can damn well bet that you are _not_ leaving here."

"You are _not_ going to keep me here!" Kagome yelled back at him. "You are going to stand aside and let me go back to our world!"

"Over my. Dead. Body."

Kagome started trembling in rage and everyone except Yuuri was surprised and alarmed as a powerful pink light flared out from her body causing her previously wet clothes and hair to sway to the rhythm of the pure energy she was emitting. "I can purify your ass into next week, Yuuri, don't make me hurt you."

"Then go ahead and do your worst," Yuuri dared her, still looking her dead in the eye even as the powerful aura of his soul surrounded them in a blue light, rising to the challenge. "But you are not going back there until I say so."

"Yuuri!" Conrart yelled, trying to force his way against the two colliding energies to get to the king, concerned for his well being but the energy wouldn't let him come any closer without experiencing extreme pain. "Yuuri, get away!"

Gwendal for one had to lean against a wall just to keep standing. The power the girl was emitting was worse than a thousand Houseki stones combined! He could see Wolfram on his knees, practically dead and Gunter was just about gone as well.

"Kagome, yamerou!" Murata yelled, gritting his teeth as he held onto his chest in pain, Shinou almost fading on his shoulder. "You're hurting Wolfram and the others!"

At this, Kagome's eyes widened and she at last turned to see the Mazoku she didn't even know was following them dropping like flies despite being mere spectators. Gwendal met her eyes for a moment and an expression of heartfelt horror could be seen there. Slowly the aura she was emitting receded until it was fully gone and it was replaced by a soothing energy that replenished theirs in turn.

A few minutes of calm blanketed the entire area; giving them a few moments to be able to stand up again and catch their breaths. Gwendal could see Kagome breathing deeply with her eyes closed that entire time and, gradually, her closed fists loosened. When she opened her eyes, though, Gwendal felt like he was punched in the gut. Whatever her reasons for wanting to be released must have been great.

"Yuuri…" she called out, her voice hoarse as though she were fighting a lump in her throat. "You have to let me go back."

"Iie." Yuuri's tone was uncompromising.

Kagome swallowed hard before trying again. "You don't understand… They need me…!"

"_He_ needs you!" the Maou finally snapped and the air in the room became a trifle moist as his maryokou was released, making the others flinch. "_He's_ the only one who needs you there and for what? For _what_?!"

"I am the priestess of the Shikon no Tama!" she yelled back. "I can take care of myself!"

"And to what end?" Yuuri yelled back. "To grant that stupid bastard his wish?!"

"Of course not!" she cried out. "Besides, even though I am not planning to use the jewel to grant his wishes, he deserves to get the good things in life. He's a good person!"

"You're blind."

"I know what I'm doing."

"No you don't."

"Of _course_ I do—"

"_The hell you do_!" Yuuri exploded, as did a nearby vase previously sitting underneath a painting of a von Voltaire ancestor from across the room and Dorcas (who had just come running in response to the commotion) fell back at the unusual explosion of temper from the Maou. "You're _in love_ with him!"

A deafening silence, broken only by heavy breaths from Yuuri as they stared each other down pervaded the room and the others dared not go inside for fear of another pink explosion. This was not just a battle between siblings, this was a battle between two very powerful beings. Get in between them and you die.

_In love_? Gwendal thought as he watched as impassively as he could and waited for what will happen next, trying not to betray his disgust. _What does that troublesome emotion have to do with this?_

It was quite some time before Kagome took a deep breath of air before breaking that silence with a forcibly even tone. "That has nothing to do with this—"

"The hell it doesn't!" Yuuri yelled at her making her bite her lip to keep it from trembling. "I may be no good at a lot of things but I'm your twin! We share a link! I've always known something was weighing you down but you never told me! And now I find out you almost die because of that _bastard_?!"

"Fine, I love him!" Kagome half yelled back at him, her cheeks now getting spots of pink in them. "It's not something I can help and you _know_ that!"

"How can you say that?!" Yuuri asked incredulously. "How can you love a man who's so desperately in love with someone else?! Can't you see he was just using you! If I hadn't tried visiting Sengoku Jidai for the first time and found you you would have died, Kagome, do you understand me?! You would have _died_!"

He was gripping her shoulders tightly now and there was fear in his cold, cat slit eyes even as his aura radiated sheer anger.

Kagome's face broke a bit and tears shone in her eyes. There was no anger there or defiance anymore. Merely a plea for understanding and trust. "Yuuri… That wasn't his fault. He didn't _want_ me to love him."

"I've tried understanding this whole unrequited, one sided love affair you've got going on with him, Kagome, you know I did," his eyes were flaring. "But what happened back there was the last straw! You were injured and dying and that bastard had the nerve to insult you!"

"Yuuri—"

"He's betrayed you so many times I can hardly count it anymore! How can you still love him?!"

"I know he can never love me back, of course I know!" she yelled back now, trying desperately to blink back the tears from her eyes. "I may be foolish but I'm not stupid! But I _need_ him."

"Oh Kami…"

"No, listen!" she cut off his exit by blocking his path to the doorway now. "I love him enough to want him to be happy, Yuuri. I just want him to be happy. I'll take whatever he can spare me if I can just stay by his side a little longer. But he's not the only reason I keep on going back to Sengoku Jidai! I've got friends there! I've got Shippou waiting for me!"

Yuuri shook his head and hugged her tightly all of a sudden, burying his face against the crook of her neck and breathed her in. The tenderness in which he held her completely contrasted to the words he had let loose. He stayed like that for a few minutes before he let go of her and proceeded to leave. "I won't let my only sister risk her life for a worthless man like that. And if I have to keep you here for the rest of your life then so be it."

Her eyes widened at the declaration and she started to follow him. "No, Yuuri—"

"Lock her in and don't let her out until I say so," Yuuri ordered Dorcas as he passed the stiff soldier, ignoring everyone else. "If she tries to escape then tell Ulrike to find a way to seal her powers to keep her from using them."

"Yuuri!" Kagome yelled as she tried to run after him but Conrart caught her in is arms and kept her in the room where she then stayed to kneel on the floor and call Yuuri's name desperately once again. "You can't do this to me…! I have a son waiting for me on the other side! Don't do this to me! _Please_...!"

Gwendal, following the Maou, shot her a look and he could not help the sympathy in his heart well for the desperation in her voice. And then, just before Dorcas closed the door to the room, he stopped when the tears finally fell from her eyes.

"Gwendal?" Conrart muttered to him when he noticed his older brother stopping. "What is it?"

Gwendal blinked before looking back at Conrart and then shaking his head to follow the Maou again. "Nandemunai."

But Conrart knew his older brother enough to understand how he felt. Gwendal may look and act cold and unfeeling but he was hardly made of stone. And though they had different fathers Gwendal had nothing but love for him and Wolfram.

"Tell me." Conrart encouraged him.

Gwendal smirked and nodded his understanding, knowing Conrart would understand him more than anybody else before the smirk disappeared when he looked back at the now closed room and the heartbreaking sobs coming from within. "That girl… Yuuri had dragged her all the way here kicking and screaming and she didn't so much as cry. But when she mentioned about her son… It was like seeing a dam breaking…"

The second son of the 26th Maou settled a hand on the taller man's shoulder and gave him a warm smile when the dark grey haired man looked back at him. "It's Yuuri, Gwendal. Whatever it was he would always have a reason. It's why he's Yuuri, after all."

Gwendal face softened before putting his brow in it's usual knot and then nodding once and straightening; following Yuuri to his office with Conrart smiling after him, leaving Dorcas to guard the door they were leaving behind. In truth that was not the only thing that was bothering Gwendal… Yuuri's words and her open declaration of selflessly loving someone who loved someone else irritated him in the same way someone would be irritated by a particularly stubborn blister. Unfortunately, his irritation was caused by something he couldn't really put a name to.

They were all there when, as soon as Yuuri crossed his office's threshold, his aura receded and he fell on his chair behind the simple yet elegant wide table he used for a desk wearily. The king hid his face behind a hand, his elbow propped on said table and it was clear that the emotional upheaval he had gone through had taken a lot out of him both mentally and physically. Gwendal realized that, although he appeared to have had dominated his own sister, it was clear that it had been far from easy for him.

"Daijobou, Heika?"

Yuuri nodded slowly and then sucked a deep breath in before he could answer. "I'm fine."

Perhaps it was time to get some answers. Gwendal boldly came forward and stared the tired Maou down with his own cold and pitiless blue eyes. "What happened?"

Wolfram, gathering courage from his older brother, gathered his usual spunk and slapped his palms on the desk in front of Yuuri. "Yeah! And why the hell didn't you tell us you had a twin sister?!"

Yuuri didn't look up and flinch from Wolfram like he usually did and instead kept his face buried in his arms although he adjusted his face enough to keep his words from being muffled as he answered. "Look, I'm sorry, it just never came up okay?"

"Heika," Gwendal finally spoke, sternly keeping his voice level calm and trying not to let his eye twitch in irritation. "Would you like to start from the beginning?"

The way he spoke always made Yuuri stand up and pay attention and he did so out of habit as soon as his general called to him. "Aa, sumimasen, Gwendal."

Gwendal cleared his voice. A sign for him to start.

Yuuri flinched a little at the warning before he sighed and leaned back against the chair wearily. "First off, I didn't know Kagome was my sister until four years back, a little after the Sousho incident. Mom finally told me that Kagome and I were born with our hands clasped with one another and she even said when I came out first, I refused to let go of her hand. The fact that we were born together surprised Dad. After all, he was only expecting one child to come from the soul selected by the Original King.

"It would have been fine but apparently, Mom neglected to tell us that she has miko roots. We discovered that she was descended from a long line of powerful priestesses."

"Priestess?" Gunter asked, in rapt attention of his king. "You mean like Ulrike-sama? Demo I didn't notice Miko-san possessing any extraordinary powers when we visited."

"She doesn't. Miko with any hint of powers were supposed to be extinct along with demons in our time and world," Yuuri replied wearily. "But according to the family history she was supposed to have been descended from the kind of priestess that can destroy a demon with a single touch."

All Mazoku in the room gasped and Conrart instantly fingered the hilt of his sword reflexively at this information but Gwendal saw the flash of glasses from the Great Sage and a suspicion formed in his mind but held his silence.

"Yeah I know. My parents said they were okay with that but then one day, while Kagome and I were inside our cribs playing, Dad picked up Kagome to kiss her. She was fussing and Mom was busy elsewhere in the room. He said Kagome glowed pink and zapped him. Singed him a bit, he showed me the scar. He almost dropped her at that time and Dad became afraid so he told Mom about it and we moved back to Japan to visit her family. Apparently Kagome was born with a strong spiritual energy that can destroy demons at a touch just like our ancestors. The more powerful the demon, the more damage she can inflict in the untrained state she was in. Trained she would be formidable and more dangerous to demon kind than anyone could possibly imagine.

"My father became scared that Kagome might hurt the demons in the family so, since my aunt and uncle didn't have a child of their own at that time, they agreed that it would be safer for the both of us to be separated from each other and Kagome was raised as a daughter of our Aki-bachan's house. They adopted Kagome immediately and raised her as their own even after they had Souta. To try not to hurt us or cause any more complications, my parents decided not to tell us and kept me and Shouri away from her. That was until Ojisan died of a car accident when we were 7. That was also the first time I've met Kagome and we've been best friends and cousins ever since. Since she lived on the other side of town, however, I don't get to see her too often. It explained why Mom always looked so sad around her whenever she came to visit…"

Yuuri blinked the tears away as he was flooded by the memories and he had to swallow a few times before he could speak again. "Somehow we both knew we were connected somehow because I always sensed it when she was hurt or sad the same way she can feel my emotions. Sometimes, she or I would call the other in the middle of the night in concern because we knew either of us had had a nightmare. I should have guessed back then. When Adelbert forced my soul to come forward so I can understand the language here in an instant, she felt it too. She said she almost collapsed in the middle of the shrine grounds and that was why she didn't sense that centipede demon come alive and burst through the well to attack her. I would bet my bottom yen that she can understand every word you guys have been saying earlier as I'm sure you guys could understand her."

"Centipede?" Wolfram asked, curious despite the hint of jealousy in his tone.

Yuuri smiled crookedly at him at that. "Demons in our world are viewed differently from Mazoku here in Shin Makoku. How much do you know about Japanese folklore, Conrad?"

"Very little, I'm afraid." The older man smiled back at Yuuri, relieved he was being himself despite his obvious melancholy. "I do know they are hideously disfigured and violent, though, according to the books. Your history novels were very entertaining."

"Nani?" Wolfram looked offended. "They sound just like the humans here! And what do you mean horribly disfigured?! No Mazoku would ever be less than beautiful!"

"When we met again for the first time after our first adventures in each other's dimensions and I told her about you guys she told me about her adventures as well. She said that centipede demon pulled her through the well and took her 500 years into the past."

"_Nani_?!"

"Is that even possible?!"

Yuuri grinned at the surprised faces around her. "I know right? It's the reason why she wasn't weirded out when I told her about the flying skeletons and the whole being demon king hullabaloo. The thing that worried me about her adventures was the fact that she said that centipede demon pierced her side and wounded her and from her body came a round jewel they were calling the Shikon no Tama. In your words, it means the Jewel of the Four Souls. It was said that the Shikon no Tama could grant any wish so the miko the heavens assigned to protect this jewel would have to be the most powerful and purest one since a lot of demons and even humans would want that kind of power."

"What?!" Gunter's eyes were wide. "So the Lady Kagome was injured?! Were there no loyal subjects to protect her in that time?!"

"Apparently not," Yuuri smiled a bit bitterly. "Seems she always gets the crappy end of everything. Although she managed to defeat the centipede demon by freeing a half demon stuck to a tree by an arrow from its 50 year sleep. She eventually managed to tame that half demon and make him her protector even though all he wanted was to get the jewel and have her grant him his wish to turn him into a full demon."

Wolfram glanced over at Conrart who merely smiled back at him. The blond looked away with a blush. Of course Conrart wouldn't want to be full Mazoku; he didn't need to be one.

Yuuri continued to tell them about Kagome's amazing story and Gwendal had to agree with his king. The girl had gone through a lot of hardships and he could only guess how many tears she had shed in all that time. He mentioned Kagome's friends and even told them about the son she adopted along the way. He also could not help but notice how much Yuuri's face would darken every time he had to mention the half demon, Inuyasha's name.

"In the end they defeated Naraku," Yuuri sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, a habit he got from Gwendal over the years. "I felt it when she almost died trying to purify the damn thing. And now the jewel's back inside her body again."

"Demo doushite?" Conrart asked, eyes wide at the tale. "Surely she would want to get rid of something so dangerous?"

"The jewel would only reappear again if it were wished on so she decided to keep it pure and untouched in her own body until she could figure out how to free Midoriko's soul from it." Yuuri explained.

"Sou ka..." Gunter was wiping his tears with a handkerchief.

"Wow…" Wolfram breathed, blushing before catching himself and shaking his head violently. "That was… worthy of a the Maou's twin sister, of course. So if she's strong enough after all these years of training then why did you drag her here to Shin Makoku kicking and screaming?"

At the question, anger seemed to have fired up Yuuri's tired countenance again and he surprised everyone in the room by dropping his palms on the desk loudly and snarling at Wolfram. "Well _someone_ has to, damn it!"

Murata then calmly stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Yuuri's shoulder. "It's fine, I can take it from here. I was there, after all."

"You?!" Wolfram glared at Yuuri. "Yuuri…!"

"Yare, yare, Wolfram, save that for later," Conrart held his younger brother back and then smiled at the Great Sage. "Go on, please, Geika."

Murata nodded and then proceeded to tell them the rest as Yuuri slumped back into his chair. "We were in class when I noticed how agitated Yuuri was becoming. I followed when he couldn't stand it anymore and left class. He was looking for Kagome but she wasn't anywhere to be found. You see, after defeating Naraku she managed to get herself into the same college Yuuri and I decided to enter. Sensing she was back in Sengoku Jidai, Yuuri decided that we should go find her; try to see if his powers would extend a bit further though time. We managed to use a fountain and popped up in a lake near this village. That's where we found Kagome and her friends.

"Apparently, with the jewel embedded in her body to keep it pure, she was now the prime target of a lot of dangerous demons. Her friends, the Taijiya and the monk were living in that village and she was visiting because her taijiya friend had just given birth. The demons were being aided by several dark miko and they cornered her. They injured her terribly as she sought to protect the village and her friends. The only one there with her was her adopted son Shippou and the taijiya's own husband and former monk Miroku but they were only a trio of unarmed strangers to an army of combined demons and sorcerers. She managed to purify her demon enemies and protect the village, even sealing some of the dark mikos' powers away and render them useless. But the price was too great, she was so weak and she has lost too much blood. The only reason why the surviving dark miko hadn't been able to touch her with their bare hands was because of her monk friend Miroku and her son. They were guarding her fiercely and would have destroyed us when we came close had they not noticed what we were wearing…"

Murata looked away and tried to hide his pained eyes away from them as he continued since he could see the pain rolling on Yuuri's face at the memory of Kagome's body. "Thankfully, Shibuya healed her. While she was sleeping to regain her lost energy, her friends told us what happened. And they also told us something Kagome-chan seemed to have omitted about her adventures in the Feudal Era. That she was hopelessly in love with the half demon Inuyasha. I believe we mentioned Kikyo and that she continues walking the earth merely because she has a part of Kagome's soul with her, right?"

Everyone nodded. "Kagome was generous enough not to take it back to keep Inuyasha happy. She loved him that much…"

"But that bitch was behind the attack all along!" Yuuri cut Murata off, his tone bitter and angry.

Murata took the story up again. "While we were talking, Kikyo came and tried to get rid of us herself to get Kagome's soul at last. Apparently she was behind the attack in the first place, hoping to weaken Kagome enough to allow her to get close enough to take her soul. You see, they believe that Kagome is merely a reincarnation of Kikyo—"

"Like my sister would be that weak and stupid!" Yuuri snapped. "Kagome is ten times more powerful and beautiful than she would ever be!"

"She wasn't counting on Shibuya being there and it seemed she had no idea he was a Maou. She challenged him but she was no match for Shibuya," Murata continued, ignoring Yuuri's angry add ins. "It was obvious who held the greater power between the two of them and Kikyo was then on the ground, horribly weakened in a few moments. That was when Inuyasha arrived."

Yuuri's maryokou flared but all he did was clench his fists when Murata squeezed his shoulder again before continuing. "He tried to protect Kikyou and attack us. We tried to tell him that Kikyo was the one trying to kill Kagome but Kikyo denied it and he believed her. It was the first time I've met him but he didn't strike me as very bright. Needless to say he was stupid enough to challenge Shibuya while he was already infuriated. He also made Shibuya angrier when he spouted nonsense about how he viewed Kagome-chan—"

"He called her a worthless wench!" Yuuri couldn't stand it anymore and stood up to throw an innocent vase across the room and breaking it. "That she had no right to accuse Kikyo of anything because she was a pale imitation of that _clay_ _pot_! That it wasn't his fault if Kagome wanted to keep on trying to gain his love when he very well made it clear that he would _never_ love her! That bastard!"

Murata's eyes were also bitter and angry behind his glasses and he made no attempt to further stop his Maou from his moment of rampage. It was apparent to Gwendal that even the unflappable Great Sage was horribly affected by the incident. "The only reason we managed to stop Shibuya from killing Inuyasha was because Kagome woke up and begged him not to kill the idiot. So we left them there, Inuyasha injured and still protecting Kikyo. Kagome would have gone to heal him but Shibuya started dragging him along. That was when her kit told us that this was not the first time this happened and that Kikyo often looked for ways to take Kagome's soul and kill her. Kagome always fights back and saves herself but when Inuyasha arrives he would always believe Kikyo and verbally abuse Kagome. It hurt his mother and it hurt everyone of them for Kagome's sake. And then Yuuri took her here."

Everyone in the room was taken aback. No wonder Yuuri was so angry.

Wolfram had his hand tighten on his hand guard, gritting his teeth. "Just say the word, Yuuri, and I'll have his head off his shoulders in no time."

"Don't you think I'd love to do that myself demo Kagome would never allow it." Yuuri told his fiancé but from the way his face lightened up, it was obvious he felt a lot better for letting it all out at last. "I'm sorry for alarming you all like that, minna. I didn't even have a clue they were treating her like that and after all the support she's given me these past years… While she's been suffering all this time because of that _bastard_!"

"Yuuri…" Wolfram looked on at his fiancé in concern before pulling himself together and straightening. "Don't you worry, Yuuri! While she's staying here nothing can and will ever hurt her! We'll all take care of her. She has the privilege of being the Maou's twin sister, after all!"

"Do you really think that's wise, Yuuri?"

Everyone turned to see the small figure of Shinou leaning against an unharmed vase filled with purple flowers, his countenance purely serious despite his casual pose.

"What do you mean, Shinou-heika?" Gunter asked the former ruler.

"You forget that I am the one who had orchestrated Yuuri's birth and existence," the blond continued. "I have modified Yuuri's soul and existence to become the most powerful Maou for Shin Makoku who would be able to seal Sousho if he ever manages to devour my soul. True he has exceeded my expectations but a good tactician always keeps a failsafe with him. Am I right, old friend?"

Everyone turned to Murata who had his eyes hidden behind his glasses now.

"What does that mean?" Yuuri demanded, frowning. "I thought we were through with the secrets?!"

Murata sighed deeply before giving Yuuri a tired smile. "I was the one who orchestrated Kagome's birth. She was supposed to be plan B."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Daikenja— now known as Murata Ken— knew he had made a lot of mistakes that he still regretted to this day. These regrets rivaled that of Shinou's in every size, shape and form and only the fact that he was not foolish enough to think too deeply of things already done and gone had kept him sane all throughout his life since being reborn in this lifetime nor was he foolish enough that he would refuse responsibility for all he had done.

But nothing had pained him more than seeing the results of the actions he had made during his first lifetime face to face and seeing it take corporeal form. For he had come to treasure the girl known as Kagome like his very own sister and Yuuri as a brother.

"That power surging throughout the land earlier before the Maou appeared," Gwendal finally spoke when the silence stretched out in the room after the Great Sage's declaration. "It came from that girl, didn't it?"

Murata somehow found the strength to give the taller man his usual goofy smile. "Saa, von Voltaire-kyou, you always seem to figure me out the easiest, ne?"

"I have my own theories."

"Geika?" Conrart prodded him as he shot Yuuri worried looks.

The Maou was looking at his best friend quite intensely and he was holding himself unusually still. The bespectacled boy sighed then and became serious.

"I know I have no excuses to make except, at the time when Shinou admitted that Sousho was slowly taking over his soul, I was frightened. I helped and did all I could do put his plans in motion and kept complete faith in him. But when I saw how he was completely putting his last hopes in your birth I knew I had to do something to back him up like I would usually do," Murata started and everyone saw his pained smile trembling on his usually unflappable countenance. "None of us had any idea how the intended Maou was going to act or how will he be? Will he succeed? Or will he be the next vessel for Sousho? As the court tactician I had to cover all the basics left open by Shinou's plan."

"Would you like to elaborate on that, Daikenja?" he could hear Shinou taunting him, knowing the blond was irritated at being doubted even now.

Murata paused to shoot the troublesome little pest a glare, his mind filled with images of how he was going to roast the little bugger on a stick over that volcano in Bandarbia. "Mochiron. (Of course.)"

Murata then did what he commonly did whenever he was cornered. He loosened the tension in his shoulders and grinned. "Maa! Like I said I wasn't really sure how full proof Shinou's plan was going to be; I personally knew how reckless and completely arrogant he was—"

"Hey!"

"—so I thought about devising a back up plan of my own!" Murata continued on the same vein, ignoring a furious Shinou and everyone sweat dropped at the exchange. "Using my own powers at that time, I created the one being who could stop Yuuri if he ever allowed Sousho to defeat him."

"A back up plan…?" Yuuri muttered.

"Hai." His goofy smile was then replaced by a dark smirk. "I created a being who had the ability to destroy Mazoku."

Gwendal and his brothers along with Gunter paled at the announcement.

Murata ignored them all and continued narrating as though telling them a very funny story and not the impending threat to Mazoku-kind. "I waited a few years after Christel was sent to Earth with the Mirror of the Sea before choosing a powerful soul and filtered it over until the priestess known as Midoriko was born. I was planning to take her soul and have it placed inside an equally powerful vessel. I believe the timelines when Suzanna Julia and Midoriko were born were no coincidence as well for I chose to develop the soul I wanted as soon as I can before the soul for the new Maou can be born so I can time it and have them be born and meet in the same lifetime. I was that desperate. The fact that they both died tragically was no coincidence either. I had not counted on the Shikon no Tama being created, though. Because of this my plans to harness her soul failed so I had to abort it until my following incarnations forgot about it. The jewel effectively caged Midoriko's soul in an eternal fight against the jewel's dark side the same way Shinou was keeping Sousho sealed in the boxes so I knew her soul would be of no use to me then. It was the path she had chosen, after all and, though we can manipulate how they came to be, we beings of power can hardly control the way our creations chose to live.

"I had not counted on the power of the Shikon, though. That it's powers and curse would transcend through time and gain in strength as each lifetime went by and it was passed down from generation to generation. Before anyone knew it, right after the Jewel was burned along with Kikyou's body, it had already developed it's own soul and it's own logic," Murata pushed his glasses back up his nose and then strode in front of the wide windows to look at the gathering twilight settling around Shin Makoku, his eyes seemingly reflecting the memories of the past. "When the jewel was burned along with Kikyo's body the jewel immediately reverted to Midoriko's bloodline; the fact that Kagome looks somewhat like Kikyo was probably because it was the last likeness the jewel had ever known. Through the passing of blood, the jewel had managed to find a soul pure enough to keep its evil contained and that is Kagome's soul."

"So Midoriko is my…?"

Murata turned and looked back at Yuuri with the smile he had come to associate with the Great Sage before nodding. "When Weller-kyou took Suzanna Julia's soul to your parents no one knew about Mama-san's origins. I guess I should have expected it since she seems to be a woman of unexpected surprises, ne? And then Kagome was born in the same womb and at the same time as you just as I had intended. Unconsciously, the jewel followed my original purpose for it to find you and modified another being to grant my wishes. Your father was right to separate you from each other."

"Demo doushite?! I don't understand!" Yuuri almost yelled, curious. A stone seemingly stuck in his stomach at the revelation that even Kagome's birth had a deeper meaning that it was supposed to have. "How is she Plan B?! Do you mean she was supposed to take my place as Maou if I failed to defeat Sousho?"

"Iie. If you had failed, Sousho would have taken over your body and your powers." Murata's eyes remained hidden behind the glare of his lenses as he spoke. "As Yuuri is the Sun that will spread his light over all who surrounds him and I am the Moon who will follow that Sun… Kagome was supposed to be the Eclipse who will block the Sun from the Sky..."

"Then…" Conrart had gone pale much to Yuuri's confusion.

"Hai, Weller-kyou," the former Great Sage nodded. "I created Kagome to destroy Yuuri."

Silence pervaded the entire room; no one dared speak. All everyone could do was to gape at the bespectacled young man in disbelief and horror.

"I have not been aware of her presence since I wasn't really aware the soul I was harnessing was still alive or would be of any practical use until recently when Yuuri discovered Kagome himself and confided in me," he continued. "Even then I had no idea; until I met Kagome, of course and felt Midoriko's soul resting in her own, compensating for her own incomplete soul. I had never expected that soul to be reincarnated as Yuuri's twin." A sad smirk hovered on his lips as though he were mocking himself. "Life sure does have a twisted sense of humor, ne?"

"Murata…"

The former Great Sage waited for the Maou to tell him how much of a rotten, sorry excuse for a human being he was; he knew he deserved it. For even though he was brilliant enough to know that, his new found heart condemned him.

"I-if that's the case then shouldn't we get Kagome away from Yuuri as fast as possible before she hurts him?" Wolfram yelled, suddenly nervous about Kagome's proximity to the king.

"Didn't you just say earlier that as long as she is here she will be protected?" Conrad asked, the constant gentle smile on his face teasing his younger brother.

"Demo, Conrad!" Gunter seemed to be agreeing with Wolfram, his face filled with worry for their treasured Maou. "The king's safety is imperative and should come first."

"Since the Maou himself dragged her here kicking and screaming then shouldn't he be the one who should decide whether she should stay or go?" the honey eyed man glances reassuringly at Yuuri who was about to protest against the steps being discussed about his sister.

Realizing what Conrad was trying to do, Yuuri smiled and nodded to him gratefully before straightening his shoulders and nodding. "She's staying. As long as I'm alive she is under my complete protection as Maou."

Silence encompassed the room and Wolfram was about to open his mouth to contradict him when Gwendal beat him to it.

"Very well." Gwendal merely replied.

"Aniue! (Brother!)" Wolfram protested.

"He is Maou and this is his wish," Gwendal answered in his cold, even baritone. "Or did you want to disobey His Majesty's wishes, Wolfram?"

"But against a demon melting miko?!" Wolfram cried. "Are you serious?!"

"Kagome would never hurt me." Yuuri gained their attention again and the full trust on his face told them of his complete belief in this. "I know this from the bottom of my heart."

Conrad glanced at his brother and nodded. Yozak would be later informed to keep an eye on the latest occupant of the castle of that Murata was sure. Sir von Voltaire was far too serious and cautious to allow Yuuri's bleeding heart to get the best of him.

"Tch," Wolfram ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "You really are a wimp."

"And, Murata," the bespectacled boy was startled to find a hand resting on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Yuuri smiling at him sincerely. "Stop blaming yourself, baka."

Murata was stunned. He knew how much Yuuri loved Kagome. "Demo, Kagome—"

"Does she know?"

"Iie… I haven't found the courage to tell her yet…"

"Daijobou," Yuuri grinned at him and patted his shoulder. "She'll understand, don't worry. After all, she _is_ the other half of me, ne? I actually want to thank you that Kagome was born. Knowing someone out there was so close to me when I was born other than my mom… well, knowing she was there always made me feel a lot less lonely before I came here."

"Shibuya…" Murata muttered in disbelief before laughing at the confused boy. "Shibuya, I've got to tell you; you are the one person I would never doubt."

"And what am I?" Shinou scowled and muttered under his breath. "Chopped liver?"

"I'm just angry at myself, mostly," Yuuri continued in his sad note as he stared out the window as well. "Here I am, surrounded by family and friends and I have never been alone; not even when I faced Sousho. But Kagome… even though she was surrounded by people willing to help her was always alone. I was never there for her. I never realized just how much danger she was in protecting that jewel and that she's been taking so much abuse from that… _jerk_! Did you know that while Sousho was trying to corrupt me, I saw her there after I talked to Julia-san. I felt her giving me her strength even though she was far away. When I asked her about it she said she did because she felt I was in trouble at the time and needed someone to give me strength despite the fact that when she did that I could feel her heart aching that day demo I never even paused to consider why that is! I was so _stupid_!

"I want her to heal," he declared, turning towards his retainers with a determined look in his eyes. "I want her to get over that idiot and move on and possibly find a way to get rid of that jewel. I want to protect her this time. I don't want her hurt anymore…"

Everyone stared at the Maou fondly. All these years and his naiveté has remained unchanged. He was still the same young man who had arrived in Shin Makoku confused at the fate bestowed upon him in the blink of an eye. And yet there was a maturity in him now. His confidence had grown and his decisions more solid even though he still had the unfortunate tendency to avoid his paperwork. But then again those were the reasons why he was so loved by the citizens of Shin Makoku…

"Kakka! (Your Excellency!)"

The door instantly burst open and all of them stared at a panting Yozak who looked unusually alarmed.

"What is it?" Gwendal asked the younger man calmly.

"Kakka, the border sentries! They said they have armies from all the eight other nobles coming this way!"

"NANI?!"

"Doushite? What's going on?" Yuuri asked, alarmed.

"When you and the Lady Kagome arrived, Heika, Lady Kagome's power exploded throughout the land and everyone felt it!" Gunter told the Maou. "I think Waltorana and the other lords thought we were under attack!"

"EHH?!!"

"Quickly, we must meet them." Gwendal glared at Yuuri as he spoke. "If they see you meeting them then they will be reassured."

"Demo, Aniue," Wolfram piped up, still anxious. "What do we tell them about the power surge?"

Gwendal's lips thinned at that and he remained silent; thinking.

"We tell them the truth, of course," Murata answered for all of them with a grin. "That Lady Kagome, Shibuya's twin sister has arrived. And that she is special in her own way."

Everyone gaped at him for a moment before Gwendal smirked and turned to the others. "Wolfram, get the Maou ready. He must be dressed to meet the nobles; Gunter, make sure _she_ is ready; Yozak and Conrad shall act as the Maou's entourage when they meet the other lords. I will stay here to make sure everything is in order and wait for your return."

"Hai!" everyone chorused in unison before the all dispersed.

"That's von Voltaire-kyou for you," Murata grinned. "The born leader."

"Are you really sure it is wise to let her stay here?" Shinou asked, now standing on the soukoku's left shoulder. "She is an unpredictable entity, after all."

"I know," Murata nodded, still smiling. "But if Yuuri says she'll never hurt him, then we have no choice but to believe him."

"I suppose so." Shinou chuckled.

But both of them knew there was also another reason why Murata decided it would be best to have Kagome stay here and Shinou knew it. His old friend wanted to gauge just how much power the soul he created actually had. That and because they both had the feeling that, because of the ties this soul had to someone from Shin Makoku, something will be happening soon and they need to be ready.

For Yuuri…

/****/

"Gwendal-sama! Gwendal-sama!"

Gwendal scowled at the approaching maid and saw Efee running towards him, alarm etched on her face.

"What is it?" he asked gruffly. "I'm busy."

Which was true. He was organizing the soldiers from his own division in a way that bespoke welcome and power and that they were fully supporting the Maou. That and the dinner decorations have to be just right…

"It's… it's…" the maid panted. "The lady! She refuses to meet with the visitors! Gunter-sama told me to call you!"

Oh, what now?

"Can't Gunter handle this on his own?" he asked behind gritted teeth.

"Demo," the maid spoke meekly. "He looks really scared of her, Kakka…"

With a sigh, he knew he had no other choice. He started striding across the courtyard to tend to the girl who was proving to be just as troublesome as their Maou. Proof that they really were related after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"No."

"My Lady—"

"No."

"Demo—"

"I think there's something wrong with your ears, Lord von Christ, because I think I clearly said _'no'_, earlier."

Kagome scowled at the beautiful lilac haired man standing 10 feet away from her and holding out a seemingly shapeless black dress trimmed around the neck and hemlines with delicate fuchsia pink lace. Behind him stood a couple of worried looking maids each holding what looked like a selection of underwear and shoes. She did not like the looks of it at all.

"Demo, my lady..." Gunter was eyeing her with almost comical wariness and she would have laughed if she didn't feel like crying so much.

She remained sitting in a corner of the room, the glass of the wide windows behind her and surrounding her whole body with a small pink bubble of light that kept anything with even a hint of demon blood away from her; a trick she had learned after 4 years struggling in the Feudal Era. Kagome turned away from the man who was whimpering and pleading with her and looked outside the view of 'her room'. Kami she wished she could see Shippou right now. Hugging the little kitsune always gave her comfort especially after a great big bout of heartache that only Inuyasha can deal her with.

She knew she was being selfish but she was hurting and it wasn't something she can help at the moment. She was pretty surprised at Yuuri's reaction. She didn't know what else Shippou and Miroku told her twin brother while she was unconscious but she made a mental note to interrogate them as soon as she could escape Yuuri's overprotective clutches.

"My lady, _please_," the guy who introduced himself to her as Lord Gunter von Christ continued to plead with her with- were those _tears_ in his eyes? Seriously? "You need to get changed! The eight nobles ruling the country with the Maou are about to make an appearance and I don't even want to _think_ how it would reflect on His Majesty's reputation if you came out of here looking as you are!"

"Then he should have thought of that before dragging me here and corralling me in this room." She snipped at him grumpily.

Gunter let out another ear splitting wail that made Kagome flinch but she kept her hold on her barrier, daring them to approach. To be honest she felt sorry for the pretty faced man in front of her and, had she not been around beautiful men for the past 4 years of her life she would have swooned over him already. However, she new better. She wasn't in high school anymore and she has had her heart broken; she had learned her lesson roughly and well and she would not allow herself into that trap again. But something about this Gunter person made her think he was harmless despite the amount of maryouko she could sense from him. Yuuri and Mura-chan had told her a lot about the inhabitants of Blood Pledge Castle and she knew she could trust this person and _did_ want to trust him but she was so mad at Yuuri she couldn't really think straight.

"What is going on here?"

The deep baritone voice that boomed into the room sent her hackles rising and like a cat, Kagome hissed a little as a powerful demonic aura came into the room. She couldn't help but strengthen the barrier around her purely by instinct at the entrance of the tall, handsome, dark grey haired man. At her actions, stormy cold blue eyes were turned to her with an intensity that had her almost gasping.

_Powerful_… she thought. Not as powerful as Yuuri but still… enough to keep her guard up.

"Gwendal!" Gunter was almost in tears by now as he sidled over to the dark haired man. "Thank Shinou you're finally here!"

She saw the larger man's eye twitch slightly at Gunter's theatrics before replying in a forcibly even tone. "What do you want, Gunter? I have other things to do before the other nobles arrive."

"Gwendal!" Gunter wailed. "I can't get her to change into something appropriate! His Majesty's reputation will go down with the other nobles if we allow her to parade in front of them in such clothes! I mean look at her! It's indecent!"

Kagome scowled at Gunter again, not liking the comment one little bit.

Obviously holding back a sigh, Gwendal's brow knotted as he spoke. "Have you forgotten our visit to Earth, Gunter? Compared to what we've seen back there her clothes are actually decent."

Kagome nodded at the taller man.

"Then what do we do?!" Gunter eyed her fearfully. "She won't cooperate and we only have a few minutes to go! If I tried to breach that barrier I'll melt!"

Gwendal turned his eyes back at her and frowned, observing the situation. A determined light set into his blue eyes and Kagome narrowed hers. _Go on, Big Guy, give me your best shot_.

He stepped closer until he was merely on the edge of her barrier. When he got too close, she felt him flinch and step back a bit. She looked up in concern at that. "Daijobou?"

Clearly he wasn't expecting that because he blinked at her, surprise reflecting on his stern, handsome features. "Hai."

Kagome nodded solemnly at him. "Please don't come any closer; you'll only get hurt."

Again he blinked before he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking put upon. She heard him mumbling. _'They're related, alright.'_ He then stepped back one more time before giving her a courteous bow. "My name is Lord Gwendal von Voltaire; Commander of the Armies of Shin Makoku and adviser to His Majesty the Maou."

Kagome nodded at him. She received the same greeting from Gunter earlier. "Yoroshiku."

He straightened and looked her sternly in the eye. "Please get out of that barrier and do as Gunter tells you."

Kagome sighed. "No."

"My lady-"

"We've been through this with Lord von Christ already and I already told him the same thing," Kagome sighed herself. "I am not going out there for Yuuri's benefit! He's chosen to coop me up here against my express wishes thinking I'll just bend over and do whatever he says. Well then he'll have another thing coming."

A twitch of an eye told her she was seriously trying Gwendal's patience. "You're acting like a selfish child."

"And _he's_ acting like jerk," she returned, boldly meeting his eyes and frowning in defiance. "And here I was actually considering visiting him here with Shouri and this is what he _does_ to me?!"

"I understand from his Majesty that you were in peril when he found you," he said. "Nevertheless, as long as you are here, as the Maou's direct kin, there are obligations you are required to perform and that includes reassuring the other nobles of the stability of this country."

"So let me get this straight," Kagome blinked up at the serious looking man. "You let your king drag me here, lock me up against my will, deny me the freedom to run my life as I see fit, and yet I'm obligated to parade around in a dress and reassure your nobles that everything's okay with the royal household?"

"Yes." Gwendal answered, not missing a beat.

"Are you on drugs?"

"I- Excuse me?"

"Do yourself a favor, Lord von Voltaire," Kagome deadpanned. "If you ever decided you want to change careers, never let yourself pick anything that involves customer service. Because you absolutely suck in it."

The comment surprised an inelegant snort out of Gunter which was swallowed back by a murderous glare from Gwendal. He turned back to Kagome and kneeled down so they were eye level with each other despite the pink barrier still separating them.

"I think you misunderstand, _Lady_ Kagome," he almost growled out at her. "This is not a game. The Maou is the symbol of this country's unity and his downfall is this country's downfall as well. You are only one person against a whole country and if I am going to choose between you and the thousands of people relying on the Maou for survival then forgive me if I can care less for your pathetic feelings of loss. There are eight people out to meet your brother who can tip the balance of power in this country. One wrong move and the country could fall into civil war instantly and we can't afford to let that happen. So if there is any shred of decency in your petty little head then you will break down this barrier and do your duty over this country. If not for your brother then do it for the people living in it!"

Kagome looked back at him wide eyed, surprised at the intensity he had used in his speech. Her first impression of the guy was of a cold, unfeeling jerk who was a little slow in the head but this passion… It burned into his eyes and she could see his love for this country was welded into his blood so deep only a miracle can dissolve it. And against her better judgment her heart thawed. This was a man who had no care for himself at all… His heart belonged to all his charges; namely this country.

"I thought Yuuri's reign is already stable," she commented quietly, surprising the man who seemed more than determined to get her to obey him. "Are you telling me that there are still people and nobles who are opposed to the alliances he had made with the human countries?"

"Most of them are very quiet about it," Gunter couldn't stop himself from answering, his face sad and serious. He was standing just behind Gwendal and looking on at the exchange. "But Gwendal's intelligence network has reported in some bad blood from the lesser members of the nobility that can escalate into a civil war especially with some of the nobles outside the ten noble families gaining considerable power in wealth due to mysterious means. We suspect foul play. We were actually waiting for His Majesty and His Holiness to consult them about this matter."

"I thought the ten nobles were pretty much content with the way Yuuri ran things?" Kagome inquired again, and the two men seemed amazed at the amount of knowledge she had about the status of Shin Makoku. She blushed and lowered her head a bit. "Yuuri takes some of his books to the shrine and leaves them behind with my stuff sometimes and I end up reading them while I'm in the Feudal Era. Except for the fact that your trade habits can use some improvement, I found nothing there that says there was any trouble."

The two Mazoku gaped at the innocent way she tilted her head to the side as she told them information in a way worthy of a seasoned politician.

Gwendal was the first to recover. "We didn't have a lot of proof to present to His Majesty so I hesitated in giving him the papers to sign for it but I believe His Holiness was briefed they left for Earth last time.

"If Yuuri has told you about this country then he must have already told you about the wars that we had had to face. My brother Conrad, and a lot of people in this country both human and Mazoku in particular has suffered a major loss because of those wars. And I swore that when the new Maou comes, I will fight to the death to stop another war from coming. This is why Yuuri is so important to this country. He's the only reason why we are in good terms with the human countries we are allied with. Without him all alliances will fall. And we would rather avoid another war."

"Oh…" Kagome stared down at her hands and tried to swallow past the large lump clogging her throat.

Yes she had forgotten Yuuri was a real king. That a lot of people depended on him for their survival and future. She was merely a miko whose duty was to fight to protect the blessing and the curse she carried inside her body. Her only concern would be to stay alive and make sure the jewel doesn't fall into the wrong hands and taint it. That and make sure her friends stayed alive and well. Yuuri however had the lives of an entire country to care about and though she wasn't too fond of her twin brother right now, she can't take out her frustrations on him on his subjects. If a war broke out because of anything she did she would never be able to forgive herself.

With a defeated sigh she stood up, both men and the maids as well as Dorcas staring after her and watching her every movement a little warily. With a slight wave of her hand the pink barrier dispersed and disappeared.

Wordlessly she approached Gunter and plucked the dress right out of his hands and chose a selection of underwear from Sangria's hands. Uncaring and a little grumpy, she started unbuttoning her blouse as she strode behind the wide, beautifully decorated privacy screen with a careless grace that had the maids blushing as they rushed to follow her and held the men in awe of her.

Gwendal in particular found it very hard to peel his eyes away from her until she disappeared behind the screen.

Kagome put the dress on but saw it was a little too big on her. Frowning, she eyed the other pieces of clothing that the maids held in front of her and plucked a champagne colored vest that looked like a corset. She put that on around her torso and made sure the laces were in front, tying them snugly under her breasts. The previously loose neckline and shapeless hemline gained a sensual quality to it. The modesty it was designed for became mysterious to the eye and the maids rushed forwards to make some quick adjustments to add shape and angle to it. Kagome requested to have the elbows of the sleeves sewed in so that the hems of the sleeves flared and soon the dress gained a style similar to the ones popular during the Victoria era. Kagome then chose a pair of simply decorated cloth slippers in champagne as well. Turning towards the full body mirror hidden behind the screen she nodded at the results and allowed the maids to coo at and comb her hair.

After they combed her hair back, she stepped out from behind the screen uncaringly.

"M-my Lady, please wait!" Doria called out in alarm. "Please let us do your hair!"

Kagome sighed and then gathered her hair in a thick, loose braid, twining a white ribbon through the braids to keep it in place a she walked towards the still staring Gunter and Gwendal, not noticing the way they stared at her resulting in some strands loosely framing her cheeks at nape. Instead of looking untidy she looked alluringly seductive especially when she peered towards Gwendal from underneath her lashes to hide the little bit of resentment left over from her feelings.

"Well, Lord von Voltaire," she said softly. "Please lead the way."


	5. Chapter 5

The Maou was extremely angry.

The air in the wide hallway was thick with the power only he could emit and everything in sight was already covered with a slight film of mist as cold, angry, cat slit eyes looked down at the object of his wrath. A heated warning was passing from him and it was a threat that held all of the eight nobles ruling Shin Makoku still and restless; except one.

"Would you care to repeat that," Yuuri's cold Maou voice asked in deceptive calm. "Lord von Grantz…?"

Conrad, Wolfram and Yozak held themselves at the ready but they knew that unless the new head of the von Grantz family moved first, they would be unable to do anything. Conrad, in particular watched in worry as Yuuri expressed his wrath and he admitted that it stressed him, this side of Yuuri that was easily angered when it concerned the sister he seemed too overprotective of. On the other hand, he couldn't say von Grantz didn't deserve that wrath.

Everything was going fine and the nobles have sent their acquired armies away (leaving only a bunch of escorts to accompany them back into their own territories) as soon as they were sure that the Maou was safe. In turn Yuuri, Yozak, Wolfram and himself escorted the nobles back to the castle where Murata would be waiting for them at the courtyard, explaining about Kagome along the way, leaving out personal things like Inuyasha and the Shikon no Tama and how she came to be. All the nobles seemed to be keeping their opinions to themselves; at least until they could meet the lady in question. That is, all of them except one.

Lord Rolf von Grantz— first cousin of Adelbert von Grantz— had assumed the position as representative for the von Grantz family after Adelbert made it clear he was not going to come back to Shin Makoku and take his place as head of the family some two years back. The man was younger than Adelbert, merely a bit older than soukoku ruler and had long, strawberry blond hair and the blue eyes of a von Grantz but the body structure typical of the males in the family of his von Karbelnikoff mother. His hair was tied back into a low ponytail to free his unlined and youthful face which, right now, seemed a bit scared but he continued to eye Yuuri with a bit defiance and stubbornness and no little amount of the principle his father liked to call the 'Mazoku Pride'. He actually reminded him of himself when he was that age.

Before Julia…

Before Yuuri…

"M-Maou-heika," Lord von Grantz started, struggling to keep his eyes trained on the Maou's ebony colored ones. "I know that what I am saying may be too bold demo you must acknowledge the truth of my words. If what you are saying is true then wouldn't it be better to execute the woman or drive her away from your Majesty's presence to keep you and other Mazoku safe? If the other nobles and Mazoku hear of this the panic it will cause would be astronomical!"

His words caused Yuuri's Maryouko to flare out in rage, sending Yozak and Conrad flying while the other nobles had to hold on to the nearest stable object they could reach. Even Murata was surprised at the sudden violent reaction.

"Yuuri!" Conrad tried to get close but was kept away by the immense power.

"Shibuya!" Murata cried out as he held onto a nearby post. "Shibuya, calm down!"

"Yuuri!" Wolfram slid further from the Maou as he tried not to be blown away.

"_How dare you_!" the enraged Maou shouted, his maryouko flaring with every word. "How dare you even suggest harming my very own _sister_?!"

"Maou-heika—"

"My sister who has not even done anything to warrant such an insult except from being born!" Yuuri continued, ignoring Waltorana's shout. "Who do you think you are to pass judgment without even holding a trial? Such a dishonorable act! You will be punished!"

A pair of water dragons materialized around Yuuri from the ground and was flying to attack Lord von Grantz who stood there, paralyzed with shock.

"Yuuri— ah?!" Conrad was cut off when a figure in black passed by him gracefully.

Looking further up, he saw the figure was wearing a black dress with a champagne vest and the flowing black braid flew behind her like a banner of silk. He watched in awe along with everyone else as Higurashi Kagome stepped casually beside the terrifying Maou and, as soon as she slipped her smaller hand and tangled her fingers with Yuuri's the maryoukou around the enraged ruler calmed down almost instantly and the water dragons disappeared.

"Sumimasen," her soft voice gathered the attention of each noble present and they all pinned their amazed eyes on her as she greeted them with a graceful curtsy worthy of an empress. "I apologize for being late. I was planning to meet you all in the courtyard demo I wanted to help with the preparations for your arrival. My name is Higurashi Kagome. Yoroshiku."

Everyone was speechless as they all stared at her. The Maou's personal protector couldn't help but notice the transformation that took over the Maou's sister. With a little grooming and an appropriate wardrobe she exuded a classical beauty that had an exotic allure, different from the beauty that was prevalent in Mazoku much as Yuuri did but much more delicate and fragile. The confident way she carried herself and the power surrounding the very air around her made her that much more appealing. And, having seen a glimpse of her strength from earlier only made her so much more intriguing.

Conrad was knocked out of his musing the sound of his older brother's booted foot landing right beside his still sprawled form caught his senses. He looked up and saw Gwendal's wide eyes staring at the display, Gunter not far behind him, equally fascinated. He couldn't blame his usually calm, cool older brother at all. The young woman could indeed give Yuuri a run for his money. Glancing at the observing eyes of the Great Sage he knew that the bespectacled soukoku wasn't expecting such a spectacle either.

"If you will follow me, refreshments are served in the gardens," Kagome continued calmly as though nothing untoward had just happened. "This way please."

She then arranged her hand so that it was caught around Yuuri's elbow and led him away from the stunned crowd in the hallway past Conrad and his original entourage who were by then jumping to straighten themselves and followed.

"K-Kagome…?" They heard Yuuri ask uncertainly.

"I'll make sure you pay for this later," she returned in a whisper although her face seemed calm. She wasn't even looking at him. "Right now, stop acting like an overgrown prat and act like a Maou."

"…Sou ka…," Yuuri bowed before straightening his back. "Naruhodo."

Conrad glanced at Gwendal, silently conveying his unspoken questions. His only answer was another knot on the brow.

It surprised Gwendal that it was taking a large amount of the precocious self control he was famous for not to look and stare or steal glances at the young woman currently walking in front of him with her back straight and her ebony hair gracefully flowing behind her and almost dragging to most powerful being in the country. Surprised was a grave understatement for the feelings that washed over him when she suddenly got up, got dressed, and asked him to lead the way towards the nobles and help in the preparations for tea. And he was racking his brains as to why she had suddenly decided to do as they wanted.

Although he spoke harshly to her to get her to meet with the other nobles he understood very well why she would feel as she did. Were he born without the knowledge of his responsibilities and was also denied his freedom to live his own life he would feel more than an ounce of rebellion would probably take a longer time to be convinced to help and yet this young woman… She agreed after a few words made from a momen of loss of self control from him.

Gwendal knew himself better than to believe it was his words that changed her mind. Her crack about him not having the best manners was true enough and everyone knew that. It pained him to speak thusly but it was not something that could be helped. Things needed to be done and he was the only one in the position to make things happen. He was resorting to the lowest kind of emotional blackmail yet she didn't mind.

And on top of all that, what bothered him the most was the fact that she showed him concern and warned him when he flinched in pain away from her barrier. If what Yuuri and Murata said was true then she must have still been holding back while trying to protect herself. Despite her anger she didn't want to hurt anyone else…

They reached the impeccable garden where a round table with enough seats for all the nobles and soukoku were arranged. It was filled with all sorts of cake, sandwiches, pastries and tea. Maids surrounded the area, waiting to answer to their every beck and call and soon, everyone found themselves seated and being served tea. The events passed by so quickly it even had Conrad's mind spinning. Silence invaded them for a few minutes before Gunter decided to take hold of the reins in the conversation.

"Everyone, may I introduce to you, Lady Higurashi Kagome," Gunter stood from his seat and bowed to her, the young woman nodding gracefully in turn. "Lady Kagome, may I introduce the eight other nobles of the kingdom of Shin Makoku. You already know of both Lord von Voltaire and I; so may I present Lord von Bielfeld, Lord von Gyllenhaal, Lord von Radford; Lord von Spietzberg, Lord Karbelnikoff, Lord Roshvall, Lord von Wincott and Lord von Grantz."

Each member of the nobility gave her a regal nod as they were introduced to her and Conrad had to commend Kagome on her poise. He was sure all these nobles are inwardly surprised that a strange human woman could possess such grace in front of such imposing figures.

"A pleasure to meet you all," she smiled at them and everyone noted the lightening of the atmosphere when she did so. It instantly took them all off guard although they all tried to be tense because of the incident from earlier and why they were there in the first place. "I have heard that you came hurrying across your own territories the moment you felt that my brother Yuuri was in danger. I thank you. You can have no idea just how much that means to me."

All the nobles glanced at each other, not really knowing what to think or say. They could find no fault in her manners at all. They didn't know what to expect from the Maou's twin sister but it was surely not this pleasant, beautifully exotic lady in their midst. Their experiences of humans were limited to other country's nobility and most of their women behaved in a way the Mazoku usually found distasteful.

"Anyway," Gunter broke the silence again, calling for small talk. "Lord von Karbelnikoff, how is the harvest doing? Is Anissinna left behind to oversee things while you're away?"

"Ah, of course!" the red haired noble chirped in delight. "The von Roshvalls have helped quite a bit, letting us plant the wheat in a corner of their lands for our experiment."

"Think nothing of it," the only lady other than Kagome on the table said. "We are actually honored that you are trying to heighten our resources. Also the steady amount of seafood is excellent!"

"It's my pleasure."

"And how about you, Lord von Wincott," Gunter smiled at the pale haired man. "How is Rinji?"

The wry smile on the handsome lord's face was like a stream of sunlight through a fog. "Still as mischievous as ever. He's planning on visiting soon with my father, by the way. That is, if you don't mind, Yuuri-heika."

"Ah! Of course not!" Yuuri laughed a bit awkwardly. "Rinji would always be welcome here. Greta misses him terribly!"

"Sou ka, he would be happy to hear that."

"Ah, Yuuri-heika!" Stoffel piped in with a brown noser's smile. "Your sister is a rare jewel! Just like you Majesty!"

Lord von Grantz, however, had his own ideas. Irritated at the casual small talk as though nothing had just happened earlier, he struck the table hard with the side of his fist and stood up from his seat so abruptly his chair fell over and making Stoffel jump. His blue eyes were burning as they looked over at Kagome who sat there and sipped tea like she did this everyday.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you people?!" he shouted.

"Lord von Grantz—"

"This woman has the ability to destroy us with one touch of her hand!" the blond young Mazoku exclaimed furiously, ignoring Lord von Radford beside him. "The Maou is clearly blinded by familial affection for this _human_! We need to nip this threat in the bud as soon as possible! Or do all of you wish to have a rebellion in our hands and to leave our land without a ruler this early?!"

"Lord von Grantz…" Yuuri was starting to get angry again and everyone at the table except for Kagome tensed as they felt his Maryokou flare.

"How dare you speak about Yuuri-heika's sister that way?!" Stoffel cried angrily. "Watch your tongue, you impertinent upstart!"

"That's enough!" Gwendal demanded, glaring at the hot headed lord. "Lady Kagome is His Majesty's kin and it is His Majesty's wish to keep her here in Shin Makoku."

"Lord von Voltaire, with all due respect, I think you are being too lax in providing adequate protection for the Maou."

Gwendal slowly stood from his seat, his expression cold and his tone even colder. "What did you say…?"

"Jubun. (Enough.)"

All of them stilled as the soft command pierced the air like a velvet whip. All of them looked at the one who issued the order and saw Kagome watching them from behind her tea cup not knowing what to say because of her insolence.

"My lady—"

"It's alright, Lord von Voltaire," Kagome interceded coolly, ignoring Yuuri and the surprised looks she was getting. She was merely placing her cup of tea soundlessly on the saucer. "I think we can all agree that Lord von Grantz has a reason to be worried. Fighting him will only further divide us so why don't we hear him out?"

Conrad and everyone else on the table, particularly the Maou's personal advisors held their breaths to see how she was going to handle the situation. Gwendal and Gunter, in particular had coached her on nothing more than just the instruction of 'Do whatever we do' and then left it at that. They weren't expecting her to speak at all.

The strawberry blond young lord sneered at her. "Do you even realize what I am talking about, my _lady_?"

Kagome merely smiled at him warmly. "I am human, Lord von Grantz, not stupid, I assure you. I understand that you have grievances about my being here and I also assume that you know of my… talent. You seem to be an intelligent young man who possesses an interesting argument and I wish to hear them as you deserve to be heard. You _are_ one of the ten noble families who help the Maou govern this land, after all."

The words had von Grantz blushing much to Conrad's amusement. Looks like they didn't need to worry about Kagome.

The young lord blustered before taking her up on her offer. "Very well, if you must know, humans have been nothing but banes in our existence since time immemorial and aside from those who have had Mazoku blood and his Majesty himself I have yet to meet an honorable human. They are filthy and dishonorable. They lie, cheat and steal even from their own race and blame _us_ for it!

"Right now there are factions who are not happy with the relations between Mazoku and humans; it's a catastrophe waiting to happen if left unattended!" he continued passionately. "Finding out that the Maou has a sister who can purify demons would only fuel that fire and that road would lead to civil war! Even my cousin Adelbert refuses to come back to Shin Makoku because he's trying to keep the balance and fulfill His Majesty's wishes for peace between our countries! But some of these countries only ally themselves with us because they hope to gain our favor and support them into gaining power over all of the _other_ human countries! You, my lady, will be a weapon they would desire to win that war! That and we don't have a reason to trust you! For all we know you could be scheming with the humans to eliminate us all!"

Silence invaded the table and the shocked maids at this outburst as Lord von Grantz panted in his passionate speech. Then, as though drained, the youngest lord fell onto his seat, exhausted and feeling a little hopeless.

That was, until Kagome spoke again. "You have a point."

The older nobles raised their brows at her in surprise with the exception of a blank faced Stoffel while the younger ones like Waltorana, Wincott and Karbelnikoff eyed her with interest.

Yuuri also nodded thoughtfully. "I agree."

Even Murata gave him a large grin. "Very true."

"H-heika… Geika…?" Gunter blinked at the soukoku in disbelief.

"Well, it's true, isn't it? Everything he just said makes a lot of sense. With abilities like mine I would be the perfect weapon for the humans to wipe out Shin Makoku. I believe Lord von Grantz' worries are valid. However, let me tell you this, my lord," Kagome spoke calmly, looking the von Grantz representative straight in the eye. "I have been taken here against my will and ordered into house arrest by my own brother. You see, I am in love with a man who cannot love me back and yet I insist in staying by his side just to be near him. Yuuri, as typical of all brothers, feels it is his right for him to protect me from such heartache with or without my consent.

"To tell you the truth I am _not_ very happy with him right now and we've even had an argument about this earlier," she smirked when Yuuri blushed and sheepishly laughed beside her. "It would have been too easy for me to have purified him to dust once he tried to force me but I did not. Despite our disagreements he is family. I know very well that he would give his very life for me and that I would do the same for him. You see, I have this unfortunate habit of being unable to burn bridges with anyone no matter how unpleasant.

"Now that you have spoken of your thoughts on the matter before this council I am sure that now they will be able to take the appropriate steps and since _you_ opened it up, I have no doubt that they would take your suggestions into heavy consideration. Regarding your worries about my trustworthiness," here, her eyes sparkled with even more warmth than before as she smiled at him and casually threw something at him which he quickly caught in his hands. They all stared at the small dagger made of stone and leather crudely wrapped around the hilt. Gwendal's eyes widened at that. They didn't even know she was carrying it on her person all this time! "Should I ever pose as a threat to his Majesty then you are more than welcome to bury that dagger into my heart. I have retrieved this from one of the dark miko who had attacked me before Yuuri came to my rescue. It is a stone blade that will drain my body of all miko powers and kill me with a curse. I expect this would not affect you since you are Mazoku. But to someone like me this is poison. And Lord von Grantz, I am granting you the privilege of having my life in your hands."

"Kagome!"

"My lady!"

"Majide?! (Are you serious?!)"

But Kagome merely stood up gracefully from her seat and curtsied before them again, reserving a special nod at Lord von Grantz who was still staring at the stone dagger in stunned disbelief. "I am weary, I need to rest. I also believe that you would wish to be left alone to convene about this matter, please do not let me get in your way."

"K-Kagome—" Yuuri was also standing, stunned at what she had done. "Chotto matte, Kagome!"

But she was already moving away. Yuuri gave chase and Conrad and the others followed, leaving Gunter behind to deal with the rest of the nobles. They were able to catch her down the end of hallway and Yuuri caught her wrist before she could turn the corner and made her face him.

"What in the world were you _thinking_?!" Yuuri half snarled at her and Gwendal could plainly see him fighting with his own Maou side.

This time, though, Kagome made no move to fight his grip off. She stared him in the eye with a scowl of her own, defiance prevalent in her very stance even in the dress she was wearing. "You should have known that there would be risks in trying to make me stay in this world, Yuuri."

"I know demo (but)—"

And then Gwendal saw the warm light in her ebony eyes dim a bit. This was not lost to Yuuri since he let the young woman go as she stepped away from him. "They need to stop fearing me if you are going to keep me here, Yuuri. They need to know that you have me under control because he's right. Once your enemies get a whiff of me they'll use me against you. We don't know how my powers will react in this world yet. This makes it easier for everyone to accept me and your decision to let me stay."

Silence invaded between them like a thick blanket before Yuuri answered.

"…Sou ka… (I see)," Yuuri nodded, his eyes calm but intense and hopeful on her face. "So… does this mean you forgive me…?"

Kagome laughed dryly before she stepped away from him and walked backwards to keep the Maou in her sights. "Oh I'm still pretty mad at you, make no mistake. In fact, I would want nothing more than to pound your face in."

"So… why did you help me out then?" Yuuri blinked at her in confusion.

Gwendal felt his heart stop when she glanced over at him and gave him a small, sad smile before she turned away and threw her answer over her shoulder. "Yuuri… you better be grateful you've got such great people loving this country by your side…"

At that she disappeared around the corner leaving them flabbergasted and silent.

It was ripped open when Murata laughed and took everyone's attention. "Well, I better go and make sure she finds her rooms. I'll see you later at dinner, Shibuya."

And with that the Great Sage left.

"Your sister," Conrad smiled at Yuuri. "She's one of a kind, isn't she?"

Gwendal was turning away, reminded of his duty with the other lords and needing the time to get his emotions back under control again when he heard Yuuri's sheepish answer.

"So now I think you see why she means so much to me, ne?"

Indeed, Gwendal could only agree…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"You were awesome back there."

Kagome sighed as she buried her face into her pillows and tried to avoid the bothersome pest who seemed pretty determined to bother her. She should have known he'd follow her here even if it was just to tease her. "What do you want? I'm not very happy with you right now so I suggest you go away and leave me alone."

"Well that's not very polite and courteous." Murata tried to pout. "I'm just as powerful as the Maou here, you know?"

"Oh I'm sorry," Kagome began sincerely before her tone melted in annoyance. "You must've mistaken me for someone who actually _cares_."

"Maa, and here I thought all that curtsying was actually second nature to you," the soukoku sage sighed dramatically. "Guess I was wrong."

Giving up, Kagome sat up on her bed and glared at the bespectacled ebony haired young man leaning casually against the threshold of her closed door. "What do you want, Ken-chan?"

"What, can't I congratulate you on a good performance?"

"It would be a shame to waste all those etiquette lessons you paid for when it's obviously something I could use at that moment." She deadpanned before she turned worried. "You never told me that there are people wanting to oppose Yuuri? What's the deal? And have you told him? You know how much he hates being taken out of the loop."

Murata sighed before stepping further into the room. "I'm not even really sure who to look closely into at this point. A lot of the nobles and humans here are afraid of Yuuri and some of the more reasonable ones love him like he hung the sun in the sky. It's not easy to figure out who's not brown nosing to the ones who are sincere anymore."

"That Stoffel guy seems like a brownnoser."

Murata had to laugh. "That he is demo he's not that smart, either."

"I suppose you're right," she nodded thoughtfully, remembering the good looking, seemingly middle aged man she had met earlier at the table. "He looked every inch the inbred little aristocrat you've described to me."

Murata laughed hard at that. "Kagome!"

"What?!" she asked, fighting off a smile.

"Never mind," Murata waived it off, still smirking. "So is this the reason why you agreed to help out? I didn't really think von Christ-kyou (Lord von Christ) had what it takes to get you to agree after what Yuuri put you through."

"It's not von Christ." She mumbled rather grumpily, still remembering her exchange with a certain grey haired, blue eyed general.

"Oh?" Murata asked, intrigued.

"It was von Voltaire-kyou."

"Ah!" he nodded although he eyed her curiously. "That would explain a lot. It would take a man with a strong will and smarts to get you to do anything anyone said with that mood earlier."

"And I wonder whose fault that was?" she glared at him and the soukoku male paled.

"Eh he he he," he chuckled nervously. "Anyway what happened? Usually, anyone who meets Gwendal for the first time usually gets scared of him. I heard Yuuri practically pees in his pants every time he saw Gwendal the first few times Shinou brought him here."

Kagome shrugged, her mind flashing with the blue eyes that so thawed her heart and made it ache for something else other than the pain she felt earlier when Yuuri locked her in the room. "That guy… he's very lonely, isn't he?"

"Eh?"

"Lord von Voltaire, I mean," she shot him a small smile. "He seemed… like a man who loves too much and bears so much and is so content with so little and yet works so hard… It's like he's merely fueled by his passion for the happiness of the people around him."

Murata had to raise his brows at that. "Not a lot of people would be able to tell."

She shot him another wry smile. "I fell in love with a hanyou, Ken-chan; after a while it becomes easy to see the underneath of the underneath."

"Aa, you've always been perceptive that way," Murata smiled back at her, filing this information in the back of his mind for future reference. "It's yours and Yuuri's greatest strength."

Kagome pulled her knees closer to her body and propped her chin on them as she looked down sadly. "I could never be like Yuuri, Ken-chan. No matter how much I try I would never be like the Sun. I can't be like the Moon for him, either since I have my own path to take. We've talked about this before and we've agreed about this already."

Murata guiltily hid his hands in his pockets and hid his eyes behind his lenses. "Of course not demo… you are still you. Your heart is yours alone and that makes you special."

She smiled at him warmly from her knees. "Arigatou, Ken-chan."

Forcing himself out of his guilty feelings, Muraya then tried to grin his usual goofy grin. "So, what else did the good Lord Gwendal tell you?"

Kagome eyed him suspiciously. For the past four-three years she's known the bespectacled boy they had been close enough that she had memorized almost all his mannerisms and habits. This smile told her he was hiding something from her but she knew better than to pry. For some reason, even from the first time Yuuri introduced them, she felt an overwhelming amount of trust for the former Great Sage. So much so that it had Shouri and Yuuri jealous for a while. In his dark eyes she saw an old soul who has experienced a lot of pain and doubt and agony. And something about him called to her in a way that told her he was a part of her.

She never questioned it, just went with the flow and merely allowed their friendship to flourish and he would always be there whenever she needed him. Since finding out how he was a tactician in a past life she would often ask him about certain things Naraku did to predict what the evil hanyou would do next and, though he was not physically there, Murata's advice had been a vital part in the way they defeated her long time enemy and completed the shards. It was as though he knew where the shards would be even without being there. Again she never questioned it.

Because she trusted him with her whole heart.

She just wished he would confide more in her instead of asking for her help from out of the blue like he usually did while they were on Earth on the same time line.

"Lord von Voltaire told me about his brother Conrad," she answered him after a while. "I remembered reading about him from the books Yuuri used to leave behind at the shrine."

"Ah, so you've managed to read about that one?"

"The Lion of Luttenberg…" her eyes dimmed with sadness. "I… He loves his brothers so much, doesn't he? Lord von Voltaire."

"You were moved by that love?" Murata asked in slight astonishment.

"It's just so amazing," she told him. "To find a man who would love someone so much…"

"You're one of a kind, alright."

"Anyway, what are you guys gonna do now?" she straightened her back to face him.

"Not really sure yet."

"So you're looking for someone who's sincere, at least semi powerful and smart enough to pull the wool over the eyes of the great Soukoku no Daikenja?" she widened her eyes at him in mock astonishment.

"Really cute, Kagome."

"Why thank you."

"Well don't worry too much about that, I'll figure something out. I just wanted to tell you what a great job you did back there and I wanted to thank you," he smiled back at her. "You have no idea what kind of disaster we just avoided back there. Von Voltaire-kyou was right; we didn't need anymore problems especially not from the nobility since we need their support."

"Well, being asked out to be your arm decoration for those high class business parties you just _have_ to go to paid off. These guys were _nothing_ compared to those snobs you do business with on Earth. Although I have to admit the etiquette lessons you had me take were a little overboard…" And then she trailed off when sudden realization transformed her face as she looked back at her friend in astonishment. "Oh Kami, don' tell me this _was_ the reason why you had me going to all those etiquette lessons! You were preparing me for my trip here to Shin Makoku, weren't you!"

"_And_ to make sure I had a reliable date whenever I had to attend a business party." Murata grinned back nervously at her.

She threw him a pillow, enraged. "I can't _believe_ you!"

Murata dodged as he chuckled at her. "Surely you of all people can appreciate caution, Kagome-chan."

"Caution my pretty little ass, you scheming little jerk!"

"Jerk?" the former Great Sage blinked.

"Oh I _hate_ you! I bet those books were your idea too!" she yelled at him. "101 Ways to Use A Fork And Knife?! The Fount of Correct Speech?! Mazoku: The Noble Genealogy?!"

"I thought you'd be interested in them!"

"You deliberately left them at the shrine whenever you came visiting! It wasn't Yuuri at all, wasn't it?!" she continued yelling and throwing pillows at him. "You and Yuuri are meant to be together!"

"Come on now, Kagome-chan," Murata kept on smiling, raising his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. "It worked out for the best, didn't it? You blew the pants off each and every one of them! I say the dagger was a nice touch, though. Where did you get that prop anyway?"

"What makes you think it _was_ a prop?" she snarled at him dryly.

The young man gaped at her in disbelief as he stared. "Honto ni?!"

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes at him in irritation. "Seriously? And here I thought you were the brains of this outfit."

"Demo—"

"You know I was right, didn't you? I don't think I have a lot of options at that point. If the nobles haven't thought of the possibility before then sooner or later one of them _will_. I'm just trying to head I off before it spread out. It's the only solution to this problem," She frowned at him. "Unless you can convince Yuuri to take me back home…?"

Murata's eyes then hid behind his lenses as he furrowed his brows worriedly before he nodded and then came over to sit beside her on the bed. "He'll never agree."

"Pffff… Figured as much." Kagome flopped back onto the bed and sighed.

Murata stared at her for a while and though Kagome couldn't see his face she knew that he was about to ask her something she didn't want to answer so she mentally braced herself for it. "Ne, Kagome-chan. Why are you so anxious about going back to Sengoku Jidai?"

She knew it. "I already told you; I've got stuff to do there."

"It can't be because of Inuyasha," the dark haired strategist continued, ignoring her vague answer. "You've already admitted you will never have a chance with him even though you still obviously love him. I also believe that this is more than just going back for your son. So what is it, Kagome? Why do you want to be away from Yuuri so much?"

At the question, Kagome coulnd't help but widen her eyes at her friend's perception. "Geez, you think you know everything, do you?"

"Hey, I was the one you keep asking for battle strategies when you were still hunting Naraku. Of course I know how you think."

"Oh do you? Why bother asking me then?"

"Well… _some_ of what you're thinking anyway." He corrected.

Kagome frowned. Should she tell him? Could she trust him? He was Yuuri's best friend, wasn't he? Of course his first loyalty would be to the Maou.

"Kagome-chan," his voice was sincere and serious. The side of Murata Ken he only showed those he was close to. "I swear to you by all my past lives… You can trust me."

Again Kagome sighed. She guessed she needed to let it out of her chest, anyway. She curled on her side, facing the bespectacled young man and stared at his hand beside her. "It's about the Shikon no Tama."

He seemed to stiffen but she was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the slight movement. "What about it?"

"It's completed."

"So?"

"I can't let anyone else use it," she told him seriously and in a daze. "If I allowed just anyone to do it the jewel will disappear and get contaminated again and the whole thing would just start over again. I don't want anything like what happened my friends… to Inuyasha and Kikyo to ever happen again because of the jewel… And I think Midoriko has already been through enough. I want to set her soul free, Ken-chan…"

Murata's eyes dimmed as he stared at the wall across from the bed as he listened to her. "Do you…have an idea what to do yet?"

"A pure wish."

"Nani?"

"All I need is one pure wish, Ken-chan," she said, her eyes hidden beneath raven black bangs. "Just one pure wish and then… everything will be as they are supposed to be…"

Somehow, Murata felt cold dread seep into his very blood at the words. His head swiveled around to look down at her so fast he thought he's have whiplash. "What does that mean? Is there such a thing such as a 'pure' wish?"

"Perhaps."

"Kagome—"

He was cut off by the warm, yet sad ebony eyes that peeked out from beneath her hair as she smiled at him sadly before she whispered her answer again. "Perhaps…"

Murata didn't understand why but, as he watched Kagome go to sleep, he couldn't help the prod of fear in his heart. He needed to know about the soul he had created and how to fix things.

For Yuuri.

For Kagome.

Her words made him feel like he was running out of time…

/****/

Shippou watched, horrified, as Kikyo finished the prayer and then slowly lifted the subjugation rosary from around Inuyasha's neck.

The hanyou was free.

"Finally!" Inuyasha almost yelled at the top of his lungs as he took the rosary and threw it as far away as he could. "I've always hated the damn thing."

Shippou, however, followed the rosary with his eyes before quickly following it as fast as he could, Kirara right beside him, sniffing as he went. As soon as he found the rosary behind a thicket he grasped it tightly in his small hands and looked up sadly into the comb-like moon visible from the leaves surrounding him.

"Mama…"

Kirara meowed beside him and curled up beside the kit. Wanting nothing more but be beside the woman who had nothing but love for them despite her own pain…

/****/

A.N.: Short, I know but I needed time to think and organize my thoughts about the next chapter since I need to get the characters to do what I want them to do. I just hope it's worth it, though.

This chapter is dedicated to foxgodess07 and GintsukiKyu; I think you guys know why…

Until next time! ^^


	7. Chapter 7

A.N.: For an example as to how the game 'Achimete-hoi' is played, please refer to this funny link; just get rid of the spaces: http:// youtube. com/watch?v=nNeG5MsXMw4

Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Now I know why some authors ask for them. They are both highly entertaining and encouraging; some even inspirational. I can't wait to hear more from you guys.

Special thanks to KibaSin and SilverFox.

You guys have been very helpful.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. ^_^;

**Chapter 7**

"Von Voltaire-kyou?"

"Hn?"

"Achi mite hoi! (Look that way!)"

A surprised and confused Gwendal blinked as he followed the Great Sage's finger towards his left out of pure reflex. "Eh?"

"Well then, guess we have a winner!" the former Great Sage grinned at him as they all stood in the wide hallway leading to the breakfast table.

Gwendal looked to his second brother in confusion, silently asking the half mazoku what the hell was going on. All he did was meet them on the hallway while heading for breakfast.

Conrad, standing right behind the wincing Maou and the country's suspiciously cheerful Great Sage, was having a difficult time trying not to laugh as he answered his brother's silent question. "It's a game on Earth where you try to manipulate your opponent into looking in the direction you want them to look. You just lost, by the way."

Gwendal frowned. He was being manipulated. How dishonorable! He then narrowed his eyes at the Maou who 'eeped' and hid behind Murata who didn't even bat an eyelash at Yuuri. All these years and the young man would still freak when Gwendal glared at them.

"Aniue…" Wolram gaped in disbelief and disappointment. "How could you let your guard down…?"

Gwendal's eye twitched at that but forced his tone to remain even. "Is there something you needed, Geika?"

"Well," Murata glanced at the fidgeting Maou in wry amusement before turning back to the taller Mazoku with a forced smile. "To tell you the truth, we need someone to get Kagome and get her to have breakfast with us since Yuuri wants her to meet Greta."

"Not that she's that important," Wolfram grumped as he looked away, trying (unsuccessfully) to mutter under his breath. "We don't need to really let her out of her room now, do we?"

Yuuri glared at the blond. "She's a guest here, not a prisoner."

"Well nobody told her she couldn't leave the room; it's not our fault she wants to be buried there!" Wolfram fired back at him. "It's been a week since she met with the ten nobles and she hasn't stepped out of that room since!"

"That's the reason why I'm asking Gwendal to do it in the first place!" Yuuri yelled back.

"Tch."

_Great_, Gwendal's brows furrowed even deeper and he leaned his head back to massage the bridge of his nose in total exasperation. Now, Wolfram's _jealous_ on top of everything else. And everyone knows it would be hard to top a jealous Wolfram.

"Pleeaassee, Gwendal?!" Yuuri stepped from behind Murata and began rubbing his palms together as though praying and bowing to Gwendal. "Please, please, please, please, _please_?!"

"Is there a reason why you can't send out one of the maids to call her to breakfast?" Gwendal asked, irritated. "Besides which, you are her brother; shouldn't you be fetching her?"

Yuuri paled and swallowed hard. "Anno… I don't think they'll survive."

Murata raised a brow at him. "You mean _you_ will never survive."

"Eh he he he…"

"She wouldn't _dare_ hurt Yuuri!" Wolfram snarled, his hand on the hilt of his sword and his green eyes burning fiercely. "I'll make sure of that!"

"Actually he's doing this because he knows better," Murata pushed his glasses up his nose, hiding his eyes behind the lenses. "The last time he pissed her off like this and came to her before she calmed down, he came off lucky he still had a full head of hair."

"That was _your_ fault!" Yuuri yelled furiously at the former Great Sage who merely stuck fingers in his ears to block off the screeching. "You made her think I was the one telling her classmates she was having her boobs done when they asked why she wasn't going to class the last we visited the shrine!"

Murata merely looked away. "I was just testing how strong she was…"

"She almost _fried_ me!"

"Putting that aside…"

"Don't put it aside, you jerk!"

Conrad beamed at his older brother. "They can do this all day, you know?"

Gwendal sighed, his migraine almost full blown as he sighed. "Fine."

"Eh?" Hearing Gwendal's acquiescence, the Maou quickly turned away from Murata and stared at his general. "Honto ni? (Really?)"

Gwendal passed them and began heading back to the royal sleeping quarters, leaving everyone behind staring at his back. "It's my duty; after all, to make sure the Maou is not 'fried' by his own sister."

Teary eyed with gratitude, Yuuri cheered Gwendal on with a fist in the air. "Ike (Go), Gwendal! Do it for your country!"

"Wimp! You're sending my brother out as a guinea pig to test out her mood!" Gwendal heard Wolfram yell at Yuuri as he turned around a corner.

"I don't think we have to worry," Murata's voice reached him as well as it echoed in the walls of the hallway. "Von Voltaire-kyou was the only one she obeyed when none of us could get near her that time, after all…"

Those words made Gwendal stop walking and just stand in the middle of the empty hallway he turned around the bend. Wasn't that the exact same thing rolling over and over in his mind since he escorted Kagome out of her room and took her to the nobles? For the life of him, he had never used so much will power to avoid staring and stealing glances at _anyone_ much less a woman. Hell, he didn't even look at his mother that much and the few times he watched Annisina, it would be because of the fear he felt at the prospect of being a guinea pig for her again. But that woman…

To be perfectly honest, Gwendal had no idea what he said to make her agree to see the nobles. Since that day he had not seen her much less speak to her. Her name had been taboo to everyone in the castle. No one was sure how they could handle having a being that can kill them just by holding out her hand. Mazoku were a long lived species but they were not immortal. Everyone agreed that if the Maou was not going to mention her then they won't either. Even his mother kept silent, feeling the Maou's torn feelings of wanting to make up with his sister and wanting to be firm with her.

Wolfram saw her as a threat and was jealously guarding Yuuri, Greta was on edge and Gunter can't stop singing her praises. The lilac haired man seemed to have formed some sort of liking for the young woman since that day and made it his mission to complete the dangerous miko's wardrobe. Only Conrad seemed absolutely normal about everything although his unflappable brother seemed to take everything in stride, anyway. And he…

He didn't know what to think of her… It was making his head hurt as he buried himself in paperwork, ignoring that niggling desire in the back of his mind to see her, even if only to just catch a glimpse. He had no business with her, after all. To him she was merely the Maou's sister and had no political value except to assure the other nobles that she was no threat to the country or to the Maou. Still there was a craving at the back of his mind making him want to see her. To ask why she looked at him like that before she left. Everyone in the palace was curious about her but Wolfram was right. No one had gotten near except for Dorcas and the Great Sage and she did not step out of her room either.

The woman couldn't possibly think well of him after he literally blackmailed her into doing what they wanted. He had seen her fury for himself and she had a sharp tongue that unfortunately made sense. If Gwendal wasn't bound to the country and the Maou he would have even championed her reasons for wanting to leave but unfortunately he was one of the ten nobles. A proud Mazoku. And his country came before anything else.

The sound of laughter, as clear and pure as crystal bells reached him as he approached the bend that would take him to the hallways where the Maou and Kagome's rooms were. The sound made Gwendal's heart jump, much to the Mazoku's surprise. He frowned a bit more and, shaking his head against his confusing state of mind, he continued to stalk through the halls and rounded the bend only to find a most unusual sight.

At the threshold of her open door sat the female soukoku in a most inelegant way, her hair loose and framing her delicate face in gentle waves, one knee raised and supporting an arm whose hand held one of the slippers he remembered Gunter having specially made for her, the other leg flat down on the floor and both feet bare. She was wearing a simple flowing day dress of dark moss green with a round neckline that exposed her collarbone modestly with the same flowing sleeves tucked at the elbows. The dress had white lace lining it making it appear truly feminine. It looked familiar; he seemed to remember Gunter showing him something like this but with a lot more sparkling sequins. Could it be that she took them off?

Across from her Dorcas crouched comfortably, grinning at her and seemingly entertaining her with stories. "…And then Gwendal-sama just grabbed Annissina-dono's arm and whisked her away on a horse and into the sunset! The maids were daydreaming about it for _weeks_…!"

Again she laughed that pure, unadulterated, innocent laugh and her ebony eyes looked like molten black pebbles bursting with warmth and joy. "Wow, who would have thought, eh…?"

The sight of her, unguarded and happy hit Gwendal with all the force of a Death Koala's paw in the gut. He felt as though his breath was literally taken away from him at the sight of it! She seemed to sense it and she looked up to stare him directly in the eye and, instead of retreating into a frown like he thought she would do, she merely smiled warmly at him in greeting.

It almost made him weak…

It was then that he saw the resemblance between her and the Maou. They both had that warm, engaging smile that lit up their faces and affected everyone around them all at the same time.

"Hai!" Dorcas nodded to her eagerly. "Demo we discovered later that he was just doing that to keep Annisina-dono from blowing up the castle agai—"

"Ahem!"

Dorcas paled and sprang to attention before shaking and turning his bald head around to see the lord of the von Voltaire family glaring at him from a full six feet and then some. In a second he was springing to his feet like a popped rubber band and saluting his commanding officer.

"G-Gwendal-sama!" he stuttered and sweated bullets. "I-I was just— I mean I was just— Kagome had nothing to do with it and—"

"I am taking Kagome-_sama_ to His Majesty, you are dismissed as her guard for now," Her ordered the guard in his usual crisp, stern tone, fighting the weakness coming over him. Was the miko casting a spell on him? Was this her revenge? "Go and attend to your other duties."

Gwendal was surprised when he saw Dorcas, a normally obedient Mazoku, hesitate and look back down at Kagome for a moment before mumbling. "Demo… do you not need help from me to guard my lady, Gwendal-sama…?"

The blue eyed Mazoku scowled, his expression growing darker finally instilling the usual fear into the other mazoku's heart who squeaked and saluted again. "H-hai, kakka! I will attend to my duties immediately!"

He then watched as the bald mazoku scurried off to do whatever it was he did.

"Ja ne, Dorcas-kun!" Kagome called after the guard. "I'll see you later!"

Dorcas stopped to turn, smile and wave at her for a moment before freezing at the glare Gwendal threw at him and ran like he was being chased by a Sand Bear. Gwendal tightened his lips at this in annoyance, making a special note to inform Gisela about this and make sure she kept the soldiers in line.

"So, von Voltaire-kyou," her warm, gentle voice called his attention and he immediately looked down at her. She hadn't moved a muscle from her spot since he saw her there. "To what do I owe this visit?"

She looked completely ruffled and misty eyed, as though she just got up from bed. Gwendal had to swallow at the sight she made. The worst part was the fact that she was acting like this was an ordinary thing she did everyday. And was he imagining things or did she look paler somewhat? The slight tan she had on when she first arrived was making way for delicate, almost luminescent skin. The color of the dress only made it more so.

She reminded him of Greta when the adopted princess was younger and played on his office floor as he worked and watched over her. The only difference was that there was something very sinful about the way this woman's bare ankle made her a sight to see. It was all he could do not to break his hard mask of stern authority and it was a struggle to keep on glaring at her. When he felt the urge to gape he tightened his mouth further until they were white at the sides as he glared at her.

"What in the world do you think you're doing, my lady?" he asked her in a forced even tone.

She blinked innocently back at him. "Sitting on the floor."

His brow twitched. "I can see that. My point is _why_ you are there in the first place?"

"Don't you know it's rude to answer a question with a question?" she threw back at him good-naturedly.

Gwendal's eye twitched some more. Was this really the same young woman who had impressed the other lords with her perfect manners, courtly attitude and charm? She was acting like she was raised in the wild! "It is unseemly for a lady of your station to be seen in such a way."

She shrugged casually at that. "No one's around to see."

"It is still unseemly."

She had the gall— the _gall_— to laugh at him. "Von Voltaire-kyou, you're such a stuffed monkey!"

Did she just insult him?! "That is neither here nor there; please get off the floor, make your self presentable and follow me."

She blinked up at him in slight concern. "What's the mater, did you need me to meet with anybody else again?"

The concern made the Mazoku blink in surprise and, for a moment, his mask dropped and he stared at her as though she were some sort of new exotic type of Bearbee before he scowled again and tried to pull himself together. "The Maou wishes for you to break fast with him and the household."

Her face immediately gained the stubborn cast he recognized from the first time he held a conversation with her. "Really now?"

"He wants to introduce you to the princess."

"Princess?" Kagome blinked. "I thought _Wolfram_ was his fiancé? And, seriously, even though he _does_ look too pretty to be a boy I can hardly call him a princess, either."

Gwendal almost snorted when the image of his baby brother in their mother's favorite black dress popped into his mind at the comment. "Greta is His Majesty's _adopted_ human child."

"Oh!" the stubborn and defiant aura she was giving off dispersed with surprise and curiosity. "He's told me a lot about her…"

"It is the reason why he's inviting you to breakfast." Gwendal answered, feeling a little more confident.

She broke that confidence when she frowned and looked away from him. "I'll only meet with him when he comes back to his senses and send me back home."

His eyes hardened into chips of blue ice. "Get. Up."

A pink shield suddenly went up around her, the uncomfortable sting of it making him step back. He glared at her only to see her glaring back at him. "Make me."

Gwendal snarled. And if anyone else saw and heard him they would have had died with epilepsy. For Gwendal von Voltaire did _not_ snarl. He ordered, he spoke, he mocked; he even had moments in his life when he hissed at Annisina (out of fear, of course), but he _never_ snarled. Not with his teeth bared and all like a rabid dog ready to bite. He was so furious he could hardly speak. The last person who had ever made him feel this way was…

Dan Hiri Weller…

"Greta has nothing to do with your fight with the Maou!" he growled at her. "She's an orphan, given to a family who cared nothing for her and drove her to kill a person at such a young age just to be worthy of affection! She does not deserve your petty idiocies!"

She didn't budge but the stubborn set of her jaw loosened and her eyes began to fill with concern. "Are you sure that's safe? I know a lot of the people here would be afraid of me by now."

The question surprised him and he suspected she had been able to glean information out of Dorcas already. Was this the reason she won't come out of her room? She was concerned about the feelings of the castle's inhabitants? He felt guilty and angry at the same time. Why did no one even tell her? "Blood Pledge Castle only obeys the king. As long as you are here and it is the Maou's wish, no one would dare lay a finger on you."

Silence stretched between them and the only thing that could be heard were Gwendal's soft pants as his chest filled with rage at this woman's audacity and defiance. He was glaring at her averted face wanting her to look him in the eye again. His new found capacity to feel such intense emotion somehow heightening because of his need for her to look at him; as to what the reason was, he had no idea.

He was about to speak again when the barrier dropped along with her head and she sighed in defeat. "Fine."

At the calm shift in her aura and obvious submission, Gwendal then realized how he was behaving. His mortification grew when he found himself fascinated at the now exposed skin of her nape…

"Come." He said, harsher than he had intended. "I will escort you there."

Wanting this to be over and done with as fast as possible, Gwendal took her hand without thinking and helped her up. Unfortunately for him, once his calloused skin touched her soft hand he froze. The warmth of her hand made him feel as though tiny pricks of lightning was running from his hand to his arms and to the rest of his body, paralyzing him and he felt himself breathing hard again.

"Stop that." He ordered her, breathless, suspecting her of using her miko powers on him.

"Stop what?" she looked up at him, confused.

"That!" he snarled. "You're using your powers on me, aren't you?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked in annoyance, pulling her hand back away from his. "If I did that you'd already be wounded, jerk."

She was right. Gwendal knew it wasn't a lie not because he has not sustained injuries because of the touch; but because— when she took her hand away from him— every single cell in his body wanted to get it back…

"Von Voltaire-kyou…? Von Voltaire-kyou?" Kagome began waving a hand in front of the all Mazoku's face as he stared back at her in what seemed to be in a daze. "Daijobou?"

Fear and worry pulled Gwendal back to reality and it flashed in his blue eyes when he stared back down at the woman who was mixing him all up and effortlessly digging through emotions he had never known he had. He needed to get away from her.

He needed to escape.

"Come." He repeated his last order in a harsher tone than he intended and strode off towards the stairs that would lead them down to the dining hall as though the castle were under attack.

"Hey!" Kagome called after him, lifting up her skirts and giving chase. "Wait up! What's wrong with you?!"

He forced his eyes ahead of him and did not slow down, having her jogging after him with a pissed off look on her face. He didn't stop to look even though the maids and other servants they passed gave them both curious looks, partly wondering what was going on and partly because of the soukoku female running behind him, her pale cheeks flushed from running after the taller Mazoku.

Gwendal, on the other hand, was in a state of panic. And it wasn't the traumatic childhood fear that had him almost fainting at the very sight of Annissina von Karbelnikoff, either. This fear made him more than concerned. Whereas his fear of Anissina made him go through an adrenaline rush, this fear for the Maou's twin sister made him weak. It made him almost incapable of movement and came with feelings dangerously close to… hopelessness?

_Kuso_ (_Damn_), why can't he find the right word for it?!

He didn't stop walking until he was in front of the double doors leading to the cozy dining room they all liked using for intimate meals with family and guests. He pushed the door open and found everyone already there.

_What was going on?_

Gwendal looked around, not finding the Maou. "Where is His Majesty?"

"He went to get Greta," Wolfram answered him, obviously put out that he wasn't with Yuuri. "Said something about dressing her up. Conrad and Gunter went with him."

Murata nodded from the table as well. "Haa, Gunter said he made the perfect dress for Greta-chan and he wanted Yuuri to be the first to see it."

"I have brought his sister just as you ordered, Geika." the oldest son of the former mazoku queen announced to the Great Sage who was smiling genially.

"No you didn't, you made me run all the way here, you jerk!" a pissed off Kagome complained as she leaned against the threshold of the open doors, panting and disheveled while glaring at Gwendal.

The green clad Mazoku ignored her and handed over his sword to a gaping maid and then went to find a seat right beside Greta's usual one. The others— especially the maids serving them- however, gaped at the young woman currently drilling holes in Gwendal's head with her eyes. Not even the Maou would do such a thing.

But the girl was even stalking the taller Mazoku that stood over a head taller than her, not to mention wider. "Hey! _I'm talking to you_!"

"Ahhh!!! Kagome-chan!" Murata rushed forward to hug her around the waist from behind to keep her from attacking. "Calm down, calm down!"

"_Let me at him_!"

"Maa, Kagome-chan," Murata laughed nervously as he tried to pacify his friend. "That's not ladylike!"

"Well he wasn't really behaving like much of a gentleman to me!"

"Don't take it personally!" Murata stage whispered to her, not letting go. "He's like that to everybody!"

Gwendal, hearing the comment, twitched but said nothing.

"I don't care, I'll fry him!"

"Now, now," Murata laughed nervously. "Not inside the palace walls, Kagome-chan…"

"Grr!!!"

"Gwen," Cheri stood up all of a sudden and scolded her son. "Was that true?"

"Nande munai, Hahaue."

"I thought I taught you better than that!" Cheri frowned at her son in disapproval. "No wonder you can't get any girls."

The exchange stilled both soukoku from their roughhousing and stared at the mother and son conversation with huge sweatdrops on their heads. They then straightened when the beautiful blond woman turned to face them with a pleading look on her face.

"Please forgive my eldest for his crude behavior, Lady Kagome. I really don't know where I went wrong…"

Kagome blinked and blushed as she stared at her before blushing and straightening herself, much to Murata's relief and amusement. "Anno… nande munai."

The woman smiled at her warmly with all the grace of station and introduced herself. "My name is Cecil von Spietzberg. I am Gwendal, Conrart and Wolfram's mother."

Everyone noted how formal the former Maou sounded right at that moment, making all her sons in the room stop and stare. She was not speaking as Cheri, the woman who was looking for love, she was speaking as a former Maou. Gwendal frowned at his mother.

"Ah! Anno… Yoroshiku!" Kagome politely greeted back the mother of the man she was about to pound into infinity. "Ohayou, Lady von Spietzberg…"

Gwendal also couldn't help but note the secretive look on the Great Sage's face as he slowly let go of the young woman in his arms. What was he up to…? Was there more to this than just the Maou wanting this woman to meet Greta?

"I will be frank, my dear," Cecil started, raising a brow at the raven haired woman, her eyes filled with wise knowledge and a slight threat. "I consider His Majesty as one of my precious sons. Besides that, over the years he has ruled this country far better than I did, he is a wonderful king. I will not take lightly to any threats on his life, did you hear me?"

"That goes for me as well!" Wolfram slammed his palm on top of the square table, yelling. "If you even come near Yuuri with your cursed power I'll lop your head off!"

The blond stood and scraped his chair aside before walking around the table to stand close to Kagome, trying to intimidate her. "I don't care if you're his sister or his twin. Yuuri is _my_ fiancé and I'd rather _die_ than have anyone harm him, you got that?!

"I don't trust you, onna (woman)," he scowled at her, eyes burning. "And you can be damned sure I'll be keeping an eye on you while you're with Yuuri, got that?"

Gwendal said nothing and merely eyed the female soukoku closely from behind his freshly served cup of tea. He wanted to see her upset, somehow. To pay her back for all those confusing emotions she had made him feel earlier. He wanted her to show him something that would make him stop thinking too much of her and just relegate her as just another female.

Instead she made him and the others blink, and Wolfram to step back when Kagome suddenly smiled warmly, tears briefly appearing in her eyes before they were blinked away as she caught a surprised blonde's hand tightly in her own. "Arigato gozaimasu."

"Eh?" was Wolfram's very intelligent answer, staring at Kagome as though she had suddenly grown another head.

"Gomen ne," Kagome said as she let go of Wolfram's hand, still smiling so happily Gwendal thought it should hurt. "I'm just very grateful."

Wolfram blinked at her, taking another step back. "Grateful? For what? Are you an idiot?"

Kagome merely shook her head at him. "Iie. I'm just so happy to know that Yuuri is so well loved…"

His mother and Wolfram as well as the maids were all dumbstruck as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes with that same ridiculously happy smile on her face. Gwendal himself couldn't help but gape at her. He knew they were thinking the same thing.

How like Yuuri she was…!

But then, she opened her tulip pink lips again and said something that caused chills to run up and down his spine.

"You'll have no idea how happy I am…" her onyx eyes stared at them and Gwendal once again found himself holding his breath at the deep sadness hidden underneath her happy smile. "…to know he'll never be alone. Even after I am gone…"

Murata's glasses flashed at that but his eyes were kept hidden.

Wolfram, however, didn't have such reservations. He began stalking her again angrily. "Oi, what do you mean by that?!"

She was saved from answering when the dining room door opened and the Maou, Conrad and Gunter walked in.

"Oh, Kagome-chan!" Yuuri started greeting her cheerfully and was walking towards her. "Great timing; I—"

"Oh, my lady!" Gunter exclaimed when he got a good look at her and she suddenly had the lilac-haired man gaping in horror at her dress and rushing by his king in a panic. "What happened to your dress?! That beautiful creation that I, Gunter, have given you?!"

Kagome looked up at the man, wincing guiltily. "Gomen, Gunter… It was just too… sparkly."

"Nonsense!" Gunter declared in a fit of passionate resolution. "His Majesty's sister should be brighter than the sun! More mysterious than the moon! _Glittering like the stars_!"

"Err…"

"Give it up, Gunter, you'll never convince her to wear anything sparkly," Yuuri chuckled in amusement as he watched his twin sister being practically man handled affectionately by his second family. "It's my mother's greatest disappointment."

Gunter whined. "Demo, Heika!"

"Now, now, von Christ-kyou," Murata joined in, holding back his laughs and acting as though nothing untoward just happened. "It's actually better this way. I myself have always admired her simple and elegant tastes."

"Ahhh, Geika!" Gunter blushed and gushed over the former Great Sage in adoration. "You are correct, I suppose. Kagome-sama's beauty will only be overwhelmed rather than intensified by all that sparkle. Very well then! I will start designing new clothes for her ladyship!"

Kagome stared at him, bug eyed. "You designed my clothes?"

Gunter stared back at her with a puppy dog eyed expression that made Kagome back up a step. The look seemed so disturbing on such a grown man… "I hope you don't mind, Lady Kagome… It's been a while since anybody asked me to make them a whole new wardrobe that actually challenged me— _Ack_!"

Cheri smirked as she held Gunter's ear in her fingers in a tight grip and narrowed her eyes at the effeminate looking man. No one even saw her move. "Are you telling me that my wardrobe isn't challenging enough for you?"

Gunter whimpered as he tried to extricate himself from the former Maou's clutches. "O-of course not, Cheri-sama! I only meant that I have known of your tastes in clothing and making clothes you like is easy whereas Kagome-sama's clothing requires a bit more thinking for me since she is a mystery to behold!"

Cheri let him go. "Good answer."

Gunter teared up and threw himself at Yuuri. "HEIKA!!!!"

"ACK! Gunter!" Yuuri sighed and then patted the older man's back to console him.

Wolfram slapped a hand on his forehead after glaring at the lilac haired man and his mother, irritated. "Idiot."

"Don't mind them too much," Kagome was surprised at the gentle voice that suddenly appeared beside her ear and she looked up to see Conrad smiling warmly at her. "This is normal."

Kagome sweat dropped at that. "Right. Normal. Ha."

The Maou's middle son lowered his lips beside her ear in a way that made Gwendal unconsciously clench his tea cup to the point where he was almost breaking it but no one noticed.

"Gomen ne," Conrad whispered in her ear. "I hope they weren't too hard on you…"

Kagome blushed from being near such a beautifully masculine man before she smiled at him tenderly and whispered back. "Iie… You are all too kind."

Conrad straightened, much to Gwendal's relief and annoyance, and raised his brows at her in surprise. The heir to the von Voltaire family was far from surprised to see that his younger brother managed to take note of the tension in the room when they entered.

"Ah, Kagome," Yuuri called her name as soon as he was able to pry Gunter off of him. "I wanted you to meet someone. Come in Greta."

Everyone looked and saw little Greta in a cute little bronze and green dress with white lace woven intricately as sleeves and covered her neckline. A ruby broach shaped like a fox was fixed on her high collar and she was fidgeting with her fingers shyly, her eyes on the floor.

Yuuri smiled at her fondly as did everyone else in the room. "This is Greta, my daughter."

Silence pervaded in the room for a few moments before Greta's adorable brown eyes finally looked up at her aunt.

Everyone stared at them, all of them expectantly waiting for her to acknowledge the adorable little girl who was probably dying of nervousness. Gwendal even smiled slightly at the sight for who in the castle did not love Greta? She was their baby, after all.

But they were again shocked by her reactions when they found Kagome frozen and staring at the little girl, her face in what could only be interpreted as pain. And tears were silently but steadily falling from her cheeks to the floor.

Yuuri immediately went to her side, alarmed. "Kagome? Daijobu? What's wrong?"

But Kagome batted Yuuri's hand away when he tried to touch her and hissed as low as she could. "_Don't_, Yuuri, I haven't forgiven you yet, I'm serious."

Yuuri didn't look guilty although he knew what she was implying but he continued to eye her in concern.

"Kagome-chan—"

Murata was cut off by a firm shake of her head before Kagome then stepped around the two young men and then stood before a shaking Greta. The little girl was obviously afraid of being rejected and she looked down as though expecting Kagome to hit her.

Then Kagome kneeled down on one knee until she was eye level with the girl and lifted her face gently with her soft palm against her cheek softly. The two girls, one older, one younger, looked into each other's eyes.

"Hello…" Kagome shakily smiled even though her tears were still falling as though she couldn't help but let them fall. "Gomen nasai, does my crying bother you?"

Greta swallowed before innocently opened her mouth to speak. "Gomen… Are you… crying about me?"

Kagome shook her head and let out a watery laugh as she gently caressed the little girl's cheek. "Iie… I should be the one who's sorry, frightening you like this; it's just that…" here, the sadness Gwendal saw in her eyes earlier deepened even through her smile. "You reminded me of someone just now…"

Greta blinked at her. "Did they hurt you? That person?"

Kagome swallowed hard and shook her head. "Iie… It was a person I love very much. I think you'll like him too."

"Then why are you crying?"

"…Because I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to see him again…"

Then it dawned on Gwendal. Didn't Yuuri tell them about some child the girl had adopted in the Feudal Era…?

Greta, as expected of her sweet nature, stepped closer to Kagome and gave her a tight hug around the neck. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll see him again. Chichi always tells me that, if you believe and work for something hard enough, they'll always come true. So in the meantime, I'll stay here and play with you."

Kagome let out a small sob as she hugged Greta close to her and buried her face in the child's shoulder for a moment before pulling away and a genuinely bright smile spread through her face to light on the little girl. "What a sweet and wonderful niece I have… Ne, can you call me Obaue, Greta-chan?"

The girl looked like she was given the keys to eternal paradise. Her eyes sparkled in her joy. It had everyone smiling at them both. "Hai, Obaue!"

The moment was ruined when the dining room was opened by a very tense Yozak and Geigen Hube Brischella.

"Pardon me, Heika, Geika, Kakka," Yozak said by way of greeting, his face and tone grim. It was very compelling due to the fact that the large Mazoku usually had a smile on his face no matter what the situation was. He was looking directly at Gwendal. "We found him. The person behind the factions rebelling against the Maou-Heika's alliances with the human countries."

A slow, dangerous smirk stretched across Gwendal's lips at the news before he spoke while Yuuri and his other advisors perked up at the news. "Well? Who is it?"

Hube nodded before answering. "Lord Rolf von Grantz."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Something wasn't right about it all…

Kagome frowned slightly as she strode down the hallway towards her rooms after Greta was taken away for her daily bath by the maids. The little girl had monopolized her the entire morning after Yuuri and the others left them at breakfast and convened for a closed door meeting in his office.

She had stared at the garden watching Greta watering the plants and the little girl pointed out which flower was which, taking special care to introduce each of Cheri-sama's accomplishments to her in order. She was actually surprised at the female Mazoku's horticultural talents and since she was majoring in it as well as Agricultural arts in college, she was most interested in discussing it with the former Maou and see if it can contribute to her final thesis.

However, horticulture was the least of her interests right now. The news about Lord von Grantz worried her immensely. And she was pretty sure Yuuri was acting like his paranoid self since she had given that guy a means to kill her very, very painfully although they had not spoke since he got locked up in his office. It would just be a matter of time before he locked her in her room and threw away the key for the rest of her stay here.

"…do you think about all this, Geika?"

Kagome blinked when she heard the voice of the big blond guy who had barged in with the guy with an eye patch during breakfast earlier as she turned around the corner of the corridor and, sure enough, as she rounded that bend, she saw Murata talking to the big man and Gwendal in serious tones. She had never seen her friend look so serious. He was usually goofing around and always reminded her of Miroku.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure what to think at this point," Murata said as he stared out across the courtyard, his chin in his fingers while the orange-haired man leaned casually against one of the archways that littered the castle, a look of discontent on his dark features. "I don't get why von Grantz would want to betray Shin Makoku."

"Perhaps he feels that it is not Shin Makoku he was betraying but the Maou himself," Yozak shrugged. "Who knows what's going on in his mind?"

"And you are positive that you saw him leaving for human territory?"

Yozak's nod was solemn. "We found him in Suberera and lost track of him there. The next thing we knew he was meeting with a bunch of royal nobles from the Duchy of Koskus, the fiefdom of Imari and the king of Suberera."

"But you said you didn't hear their conversation."

"It wasn't possible," Yozak sighed. "They were having a banquet in that place; it was too noisy. I tried to pass myself off as a dancing girl but I got kicked out."

Murata sweatdropped. "Probably because you in a skimpy outfit would have been too much to believe…"

"In any case," Gwendal spoke, he was also staring out across the courtyard with his usual frown, his hands behind the small of his back in an at ease position and his profile was severe. Kagome couldn't help but find his profile very dignified. "Rolf has committed treason. And, if proven, no matter what the Maou wishes, the only penalty for this transgression would be death."

"Yeah." Murata nodded.

Kagome couldn't help but gasp at that. Surely she heard wrong?

"Kagome-chan!" Murata greeted her in surprise as both men also turned their eyes in her direction; Yozak with a big grin on his face and Gwendal with an even bigger frown. "Eh heh, where are you off to?"

"Ken-chan," Kagome ignored his lame attempt to change the subject and pierced him with an incredulous look. "Are you sure you're okay with this idea? Of killing a man in cold blood?"

"Anno… Kagome—"

"Well _are you_?"

"Then what do you propose we do?" Gwendal asked her harshly with an open glare. "Allow him to gather up his armies and march against Shin Makoku? Or perhaps you are hoping that they will oust the Maou so he would have no choice but to send you back home?"

"Von Voltaire-kyou…" Murata warned Gwendal, the taller man merely looked away, his nose up in the air. The bespectacled soukoku then turned and smiled sheepishly at her. "Kagome, it's alright; we just want Yuuri to be safe."

"I know that but…" Kagome was so shocked to hear one of her closest modern day friends plotting murder that she had to lean against a wall to keep herself from falling. "You're talking about an execution…! A murder in cold blood."

Murata's smile fell off his face and surprised the two older Mazoku behind him when he spoke seriously to the girl. "Then what do you propose we do? We can't let him off."

"You don't even know if he is _guilty_ yet!"

"Suberera is one of the human countries who has rejected our proposal of an alliance and Imari has been an independent country much like Suberera who has kept to itself for too long now it would be impossible to make an alliance with them. The Maou himself has made several attempts all ending with failure and frankly, I wish he would stop trying." Gwendal looked down his nose at her. "Just meeting with these two factions already smells suspicious."

"Innocent until proven guilty," she scowled back at him. "And I don't think Lord von Grantz was up to that kind of mischief."

The tall Mazoku's eyes narrowed at her. "And how would you know that?"

"Because I feel it right here!" she clenched a hand over her heart as she glared back at him. "My gut is telling me so!"

The Mazoku general smirked at her coldly. "How naïve."

"I know what I saw in his eyes when we spoke a week ago!" she insisted; somehow wanting to make this man believe her. "He's brash but he's young so he has an excuse. I'm pretty sure all young men go through that stage at least _once_ in their lives! His eyes and notions are all intelligent and logical! He can be a real asset to the country's defense once he learns how to control his temper.

"Besides which, you grew up with him, didn't you?" she caught his eyes and pleaded with him silently to listen. "Can you honestly tell me he would do something like this?"

Gwendal frowned still but now looked torn. She knew she got her point across.

"So you believe he's innocent?" Murata asked her his brows raised.

"Hai."

She glared at Gwendal when he snorted. "You've only seen him once, how could you say that?"

But Murata grinned at him. "Never underestimate Kagome's gut, von Voltaire-kyou. She's a miko, after all, and more than Shibuya or I she has a higher sense of perception than anyone else."

Gwendal remained stoic at that and turned away. Kagome turned back to Murata. "I can feel Yuuri hurting."

Ken sighed. "I can imagine so. He was never one for killing. Especially when Gwendal told him von Grantz-kyou might not even be given a trial once the nobles hear about this and send out a hunting party of their own."

"Yuuri will try to run away and stop this." She warned them.

"We know." It was obvious Gwendal was beginning to get annoyed out of sheer frustration with himself and Kagome's heart went out to him. The guy really thought too much.

"So what are your plans now?" she asked her friend after shooting Gwendal another sympathetic look which seemed to confuse the mazoku.

"We're planning to send Yozak and Hube back to human territory and investigate." Ken told her, mind reeling with the complications and time pressure as well.

"…Yozak?"

"Ah, where are my manners?! Kagome-chan, this is Yozak Gurrier," he waved his hand over to the tall Mazoku with the orange hair who grinned and winked at her cheekily. "And Yozak, this is Lady Higurashi Kagome."

"Haa, bocchan's twin sister, ne?" Yozak grinned at her warmly. "I don't know if you've noticed me but I was there when you met with the ten nobles. You saved us from being demolished by bocchan."

Kagome's face brightened in remembrance. "Ah, I know you! You're Miss Biceps!"

"Eh?"

"_Anyway_!" Murata cut in before the conversation could escalate into anything unpleasant. Yuuri would kill him if Kagome found out about her twin brother being dressed up as a girl by the aforementioned 'Miss Biceps'. Kagome already had too much of a field day looking into the baby pictures Miko had kept over the years, not that he didn't find it all entertaining at the time. "Back to the subject at hand please?"

"Oh, right," Kagome lightly slapped the side of her fist into her palm as though just remembering why they were talking in the first place. "You guys are going back to human territory?"

"Un." Yozak nodded, eyeing the female soukoku with veiled curiosity. "Gwendal-kakka had ordered it in the meeting."

"What are you going to do to him after you catch him?" she couldn't help but ask, trying to hide her unease.

"Heika would never approve of an execution so he ordered us to capture him alive." Yozak answered and it made Kagome smile when she heard a bit of pride seep into the man's words. "So our mission is to bring him back for a trial."

"But what did you mean when you said Yuuri won't be able to do anything about this even if he tried?" Kagome asked, still feeling cold at the thought of anyone getting executed. "He is Maou! How can he not stop such a thing from happening?"

"The ten nobles rule Shin Makoku alongside the Maou," Gwendal surprised her by answering. She got the impression that he didn't like her much, really, which was okay. He probably thought she was a nuisance. "And though the Maou has control over the whole of Shin Makoku the rules within the ten nobles are outside his jurisdiction. They live and breathe merely for Shinou's will. If one of them turns and is proven guilty then honor demands they take the decision off the Maou's hands and condemn the guilty party until the honor of the ten noble houses is satisfied."

"And in this case, you think the only thing that can satisfy that honor would be Lord von Grantz' death." Kagome stated, looking grim. "Yuuri won't like that."

"He doesn't have to."

"But—"

"The rules were not created for him to like or dislike." Gwendal said.

"But he can bend them."

"He can only bend it so far before it breaks under the pressure." Gwendal responded, his eyes distant but troubled despite his stern façade. "Even though the noble houses of Shin Makoku have declared to follow him, bending too many rules would lead to further rebellion. It would mean war."

"Nevertheless will you be prepared to disobey the Maou to satisfy your own honor?"

Gwendal's eyes widened at that. He had never asked himself such a question as a member of the ten noble families before since...

A memory of Stoffel's attempted betrayal from long ago floated in his mind. Catching himself, he glared at Kagome viciously and spoke to her in his iciest voice. "What do you know about honor, Outsider? You who has done nothing but be kept inside a castle under your brother's protection? You know nothing!"

Kagome was stunned. She didn't know what she did but it was evident that Gwendal didn't like her very much and it disturbed her in a way. She knew he was a good man; she could read it in his blue eyes whenever he spoke of his country or mentioned anyone in his family. He had such a beautiful soul that she could feel her heart aching with it whenever she looked into his eyes. Perhaps Inuyasha was right... Even though she was a miko she was merely third rate. No one like Gwendal would want to be friends with her...

"Kagome-chan, daijobou?" Murata asked her in concern.

Kagome immediately pulled herself together and put on a smile too bright to be real on her face. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?!"

As she smiled she saw something akin to guilt and confusion pass across Gwendal's face before it disappeared.

It was obvious Murata didn't buy her act but decided to let it slide and turned back to Yozak. "I still can't believe he attacked you; he knows how good Sir Brischella was with the sword."

"He looked really desperate," Yozak frowned in contemplation as he remembered the encounter. "So desperate he looked quite mad."

"Hm…" Murata thought and Kagome watched. Knowing the Great Sage for as long as she did, she knew he was beginning to get some sort of idea about what to do and see the bigger picture. They allowed him his silence before he broke it after a few moments of what looked like a painful internal debate. "Kagome-chan, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure." She tilted her head to the side in an unconsciously adorable manner that made Gwendal's face soften before he blinked and scowled again.

It was a good thing no one was looking at him.

"Go with them."

"Geika!" Gwendal exclaimed, truly surprised at the Great Sage's decision.

"Eh?"

"You told me once that there's a way for you to track demons, right?" Murata eyed her enthusiastically as he practically glowed. "Same as the demons in the Feudal Era can track a person by scent, miko of your level can track them down by their youki or spirit energy without using a maryouko orb!"

Kagome blinked at him and thought. "I really don't know him that well, Ken-chan. Besides I would have needed to have touched the demon I was searching for twice what with the amount of maryouko floating around in this place. It would be hard to pin point him. Although…"

"What?"

"The dagger…" Kagome hit the side of her fist in her palm as she thought about it. "I can trace that and it would lead me to him. "

"How?"

"Geika, what are you—"

"That dagger is special. It's made by the blood of a dozen babes and forged in the pain of a hundred demon souls," Kagome wearily explained, ignoring Gwendal along with Murata and Yozak's horrified faces. "It came from an era when cruelty knew no boundaries and power meant everything since it meant survival. If a person who knew such rituals were to touch that dagger then it would react to him. The dark miko I got the dagger from made it glow black and red. Had it reacted like that when I handed it over to Lord von Grantz then I wouldn't be so surprised at this news but it didn't. The dagger stayed calm."

"But you said that dagger could kill you!" Yozak exclaimed, both horrified and fascinated at the same time.

"I'm human, of _course_ anything could kill me," she leaned against the wall with a huff as though that were obvious. "But only with that type of reaction can the dagger curse me with a very long and painful death. It would create a barrier around me, preventing all my friends to come to my aid forcing them to watch me die and my blood will be replaced by the poison. Pain would drench my entire body until I would go mad with it. And when I am dead it will claim my soul and my powers for the user to do as they wish. My soul will become a mere object. Like the Shikon no Tama."

"Kagome!" Murata strode to her in shock and anger as he rounded on her. "What the _hell_?! You didn't tell me that!"

"Geez, Ken-chan, it's not like I was thinking, 'Oh gee! What a nice day! How could I screw it up? Oh I know! How about giving a strange demon a dagger that can kill me in the longest, most painful way possible?'"

"Shibuya is _so_ not going to like this…"

"Right, tell him," she challenged. "And when he finds out, I'll let you count the bodies later."

Murata sighed and faced the other men in corridor, rubbing his face in exasperation. "Kami, you guys are totally related… Anyway, if that's the case then you should go get Lord von Grantz. What you just said may serve him well once he undergoes that trial."

"Absolutely not!" Gwendal finally had it as he glared at both soukoku. "Geika, surely you wouldn't entrust such a mission to a girl like this?!"

"Hey, what does that supposed to mean?" Kagome pouted at the taller Mazoku who blinked at her oddly and then cleared his throat before scowled in a way that made Kagome raise her brows at him.

"You will merely hold them back and slow them down in their search," he glared at her as though trying to intimidate her somehow and make her bend to his will. "Their journey will be rough and tedious and I am sure my lady would rather remain in the comforts of the castle."

"I understand your concerns, Lord von Voltaire and under different circumstances I'd be looking for way to sneak her out of the castle for picnics and the like. Nevertheless she is doing me a favor by doing this," Murata told the taller Mazoku firmly. "She's the best weapon we have right now against this scandal. Remember we are doing this for the Maou. If we do not do something then he will head out there himself and get the job done. We need to keep Shibuya safe."

"A weapon? But, Geika she's merely a girl! And human at that!" Gwendal protested. "You are sending her into territory that is dangerous and uncertain! I must insist you pick someone else! I have highly qualified soldiers who—"

"There _is_ no one else." Murata told him sadly with an apologetic smile at Kagome. "I think you of all people know that we cannot afford to let this happen. We are protecting Yuuri and the throne."

Gwendal stilled but Kagome could see he was still dissatisfied by the entire arrangement.

"I'm sorry about this Kagome-chan, I know I'm kinda pushing it but since you're here I might as well take advantage of you. Time is of the essence and we have to find Lord von Grantz and confirm his intentions before the other nobles find out and launch a man hunt of their own."

Kagome nodded, thinking nothing of it since a friend asked. For, she must admit to herself at least, that if Yuuri had a Hero complex she, in turn needed to feel necessary. "It's okay, I understand. I'll come back as soon as I can."

Murata looked relieved. "You have no idea how grateful I am about this."

"Anything for you and Yuu-chan," Kagome smiled at him tenderly, ignorant of a pair of Prussia blue eyes narrowing at her. "I'll go ask the maids to prepare what I need and I need you to show me to the armory to get myself a bow and arrows."

"Haa." He caught her hand and looked her in the eye seriously for a moment before turning sheepish. "I know you're still mad at him but there's no other way."

"We'll deal with my issues with him when we're done. After all, what am I compared to the millions of people who are all dependent on Yuuri for survival?" she then turned smiling eyes at a surprised Gwendal. "Right, Lord von Voltaire?"

Both of them knew what she was talking about. It was the same speech he gave her when he ordered her to meet with the nobles her first day here.

Kagome straightened and shot a friendly smile at the orange haired mazoku who was watching them. "When and where will we meet, Yozak?"

"Eh? Let's see…" Yozak seemed to take sometime rallying before hitting an answer. "How about before dawn tomorrow at the stables?"

"That will be fine."

"Yozak," Murata turned to the orange haired spy with a slight glare. "I will let you and Hube take care of Kagome for me. Protect her like she's the Maou herself."

"Anno…" Yozak glanced at the delicate girl unsurely but then sighed. Like he could really refuse the orders of the Great Sage… "As you wish, Your Highness."

"I'll try to keep Shibuya as ignorant as possible about your disappearance," Murata turned back to her. "You've got to promise me you'll be careful. Kagome, I'm really sorry—"

"It's fine," Kagome shook his head at him. "I understand."

"Lady Kagome," Gwendal was now clenching his fists at his sides as his eyes seemed to be imploring her to change her mind. "You must not. The Maou ordered you to stay in the castle—"

"He said I can't get out of the castle _unescorted_."

"I will make her excuses." Murata was starting to feel really uncomfortable with the way Gwendal kept on trying to demand that Kagome stay.

"I'll leave it to you then. Excuse me." She bowed to Gwendal slightly in respect before walking away.

She was surprised as, halfway to her room, just as she was about to climb the stairs, she was roughly pulled back by a large, strong hand and, though it was not rough, it held the firm strength barely held in check by a powerful being. She was right when she turned around and came face to face with Gwendal's frowning, troubled eyes.

"Can I help you, Lord von Voltaire?"

"Don't go." He told her bluntly. His deep baritone seemed to rumble from his chest to his hand and to Kagome's very being. "It's dangerous."

She blinked at him, confused as to why he was going to such lengths to keep her here. Was he worried about Yuuri getting angry? "I know."

His hand tightened around her upper arm even as another knot was added to his brow. "Then why?"

She wasn't sure why he was so concerned but she humored him still. "Because it's for Ken-chan and Yuu-chan."

"Daikenja-sama is using you! He called you a weapon!" he exclaimed, unconsciously pulling her closer to himself until the whole side of her arm was against his broad chest and she could feel his warmth through both their clothing. Somehow, despite his frigid and uptight manner she felt comforted by the contact. Added with the scent of sandalwood and pine and the musky scent of the very earth itself that seemed to float in the very air around him, she felt secure that this was the safest place in the world. "Aren't you even offended?"

Kagome blinked at that. "Ken-chan means no offense by it. He just calls it as he sees them."

"He usually has more tact."

"He doesn't need tact with me."

"He should."

"I've been referred to as worse."

His eyes darkened into the color of stormy midnights. "Like what?"

"It doesn't matter." She looked away, not wanting him to see the sadness accompanied by the memories of the numerous times she was found wanting by the only man she loved. "It would never matter."

"…The Maou will be worried about you."

It was then that Kagome realized what this was all about (or at least she thought she did) and couldn't help but smile warmly at the tall Mazoku. "Arigatou, Lord von Voltaire but I'll be fine. You already have a lot to worry about; I should be the least of them. Really, thank you so much for taking care of Yuuri so well. Just for that, I owe this country a debt of gratitude. And despite my personal feelings I will do all I can to help while I'm here."

"What?" Gwendal looked at her blankly.

"You worry about me because of Yuuri." She chuckled at him.

Confusion set into his blue eyes at her words but shrugged. "Aren't you still mad at your brother?"

"Oh I am," Kagome laughed a little at that. "But he's my brother and I won't let anything bad happen to him. And believe me, Lord von Voltaire, I know him enough to know that when he does something good it's great. But when he does something bad it gets worse and will continue to get worse until it hits rock bottom. If Ken-chan thinks I can help out then I won't hold back. He's usually right you know?"

"…I suppose."

"Besides, Yuuri is Maou," she continued, noting he had yet to set her arm free. "And you were right that first day we spoke that he should come first before any of our personal problems. Yuuri is the bigger picture. You've seen what my stubborn anger couldn't at that time and I thank you. Yuuri is truly lucky to have you by his side. I owe you one."

Gwendal's eyes widened. "That's it? You aren't even angry at what I did to you back then?! I practically blackmailed you!"

Kagome raised her brows at him at that. "It's not like you did it for yourself."

He looked floored.

She respectfully drew her arm away from his touch and gave him one last warm smile before starting for the stairs again. "You don't have to worry, I'll do my best. Shin Makoku will be safe."

Kagome left for her room never knowing she was leaving a confused and highly frustrated Mazoku behind with the memory of her warmth still lingering in his senses and a craving for more of her touch…

/****/

"My lord, we are here."

The sky was littered with stars even as the horizon heralded the coming of a new day when Lord Rolf von Grantz nodded to the pair of gray cloaked men who met him and his escorts as soon as his horse stepped hooves in the kingdom of Ichri; a nation far into the east of Suberera. The wastelands surrounding the ruins he had been led to scattered over the landscape like so many spirits of the dead; a past already long gone. He could barely sit straight in his saddle, the amount of Houseki surrounding him crippled his abilities to fight or use his magic. It didn't matter, though; he won't need them yet. He must save his strength.

His violent run in with Yozak and Hube worried him but he kept his expression fierce and determined as he faced his hosts. He knew what they were all probably thinking but he would not turn back. This was the only way he would be able to save Shin Makoku and he was not going to back out now.

He needed to be here.

Surely Shinou and the Maou would understand why…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Murata Ken wondered for the umpteenth time if it were physically possible to punch a technically dead man in the face. If he were only sure then he would gladly sink his fist into Shinou's smirking one at that moment just to get rid of the blond and kick him out of his room. Alas it might end up in failure. Surely Shinou wouldn't be leering at him like this if it were possible.

Right?

"So you sent her away?"

Maybe he should try it; just once. Just to see if it'll work. Who could blame him, right?

"What do you want, Shinou?" Ken asked in exasperation at the Original King who was sitting on the edge of _his_ desk in _his_ room invading _his_ precious privacy.

The blond shrugged. "Just making conversation."

"Well it's annoying. Go away."

"Mou! You hurt my feelings!"

"This is not about feelings and you damn well know it; what you have is narcissism;" Ken replied acidly. "Your intense love for yourself can move _mountains_, Shinou. _Mountains_."

"And don't forget to mention that your pride can part rivers."

Ken finally looked up and faced his old friend directly for the first time since he sensed him come in. "You know what, Shinou, your lips and my ass? Should _really_ meet."

"Only if you keep dreaming your little wet dreams." Shinou retorted with a grin. "Say, you never did tell me you felt that way about me all this time…"

"Argh! What do you want from me?!" Ken wailed, burying his face in his arms in utter frustration. "Why do you keep doing this to me?! Wasn't it enough that I had to babysit you your entire life?!"

"Ah, Daikenja, this is the reason why I like you so much," Shinou shook his head with that stupid smirk still on his face that made Ken want to drown him. "Your wit and my charm certainly did wonders back then."

"Of course, that was the only way you could've gotten laid back then…" Ken muttered sulkily.

"What was that?'

"…Nothing."

"Anyway, I'm curious," Shinou allowed his comment to slide graciously (or so he thought) and went back to his original questioning. "What do you hope to accomplish by sending her away like that?"

Ken sighed. "I wasn't lying when I said she's the best plan I've got. I was desperate, alright?"

"But that wasn't all, wasn't it?" Shinou raised a brow at him.

Ken filled his lungs with air, his elbows on the table and eyes sadly staring at his hands. "I want to see something just to be sure."

Curiosity peeked into greater heights, Shinou leaned into him. "Sure? Of what?"

"I've noticed that since that initial explosion, Kagome's powers have lessened somewhat. I'm not sure if she's holding back or if it has something to do with what she told me."

"You mean the completion of the Shikon no Tama?"

"Yeah."

Shinou nodded. "I see. So you're afraid of the 'pure wish' she was talking about and you want to know if she's holding her powers back as preparation for the wish."

Ken smiled at him wearily despite himself. "That's basically it."

"I doubt you have to worry about anything," Shinou waved his hand languidly. "There is no such thing as a 'pure wish' no matter how kind. All in all a wish is the desire for something you want. That in itself makes it selfish. Which means anything even relevant to a 'pure wish is an impossibility."

But the bespectacled young man frowned as he took on a faraway look. "You don't know Kagome like I do. She's an unpredictability; she's not even supposed to be alive right now, at least not as how she is. Like Yuuri, if she sets her mind on something then you can be damn sure she'd get it. I've been seeing a trend on how she would generally act since I've been observing her closely these past few years but most of the time she could still surprise me. I need to know what she's thinking and sending her off to bring back von Grantz would be hitting two birds with one stone. I'll be able to tell whether she's weakened, or if she's holding back. I've got to head her off on whatever she intends to do."

Shinou raised his brows at that. "What do you think she's planning on doing?"

The former Great Sage sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Truthfully I was shocked that she would be that angry at Yuuri for wanting to take her here. At that time it looked as though… she wanted to die…"

"So this mission I actually about… giving her a reason to live? Is that it?"

"That's the general idea although I have to admit this is not what I originally had in mind."

"By sending her after a man who can kill her?"

"I know! I'm an idiot!" the bespectacled soukoku wailed.

"You worry about her too much." Shinou observed. "Could you be…?"

"Shut up, Shinou," Murata stood up and strode over restlessly to his window, looking out at the still dark sky with troubled ebony eyes. "I created her soul but she defied my expectations until she has become like a sister to me. Like Janus back then she is a part of me but she has a soul! A beautiful, heart stopping soul of her own that the jewel is using to hide itself in. I myself don't even know how it's possible but…"

Helplessness made Ken's shoulders sag. Moments later, he felt Shinou's presence beside him, looking out of the window and into the night himself and, although they weren't touching, Ken could feel the comforting presence of his maryokou washing over him in gentle waves and he sighed once more.

"When she spoke of the dagger and what it could do to her I noticed she didn't mention the Shikon no Tama. Dammit, what is she planning?! I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I care for her greatly. And because of that I feel like I have given a burden too heavy to bear." He finally confessed. "I feel like something bad is going to happen and if it does… I will never forgive myself. "

"Well," Shinou nodded, his eyes solemn. "I guess you have your work cut out for you."

Ken chuckled mirthlessly and waited for dawn to arrive. "Indeed I have."

"No worries," Shinou replied with an arrogant flip of his hair. "I will make an effort to aid you."

"Gee," Ken deadpanned. "Please don't strain yourself on my account."

"Nonsense," Shinou said, deaf to his sarcasm. "It's the least that I can do to such a loyal companion such as you."

/****/

Yozak Gurrier waived Hube from where he was under the trees just outside the army barracks he chose to sleep in that night in preparation for the journey. Hube, as part of the royal household and nobility had just stepped out of the palace's guest wing and was making his way over to him. No one from the household was around except for the sentries and he'd already greeted each and every one of them as he made his way down here.

That and the curious presence of light in a certain Mazoku lord's rooms.

"Oi, what took you?" the orange haired man called cheerfully although not loud enough to wake anyone up.

"Sorry, Nikola sent me pigeon mail," Hube nodded solemnly at him. "I thought it was important so I had to read it first."

Yozak raised his brows up in concern. "Everything okay at home?"

Hube smiled at him. "She just wanted me to know she and Elu misses me. Looks like His Excellency Gwendal sent her a message that we made it back safely. She wants me home in time for Elu's birthday."

"Oh yeah!" Yozak brightened. "He's about to turn 4, isn't he?"

Hube couldn't help the proud grin on his face. "Yes. If we come back on time, why don't you come over and celebrate with us?"

"Sure! It would be nice to see Nikola again," the half Mazoku slapped the dark haired aristocrat on the shoulder. "She's my idol; what with her keeping you in line like this."

"You should get yourself a woman of your own," Hube rolled his eyes at the other man's teasing. "That should keep you out of women's clothing."

"Ah but if it will draw your eyes to me I would certainly consider it." Yozak waggled his brows at Hube mischievously.

"Don't. Make. Me. Hit. You."

"Geez, you're no fun at all," Yozak snorted. "Come to think of it; most married men _are_ no fun. Heh, I should consider myself lucky then."

"And I say you don't know what you're missing."

"Oi, you don't need to marry me off _now_." Yozak pouted in a way that made Hube sigh in exasperation.

In the course of all the years since Hube began working for Gwendal as a spy, the two have developed quite a close friendship with each other due to how closely they worked together under Gwendal's orders. It was ironic considering how Hube used to hate anything human and how Yozak used to despise and make fun of noble Mazoku who thought they were _better_ than humans. Although both of them work quite well apart they still made a better team together and this was why most of the important jobs were handed over to them both.

Including this one.

"Are you sure it's really going to be alright having the Lady Kagome come with us?" Hube asked as they strode towards the spacious royal stables where their horses and gear would be stashed and readied by Dorcas who they have trusted to put everything together. "She's the Maou's sister. If something happened to her I don't even want to know the grief His Majesty would suffer."

Yozak's face also turned grim. "Yes, I was thinking about that all night. I'm not even sure she wanted to come, actually."

"What do you mean?"

Yozak made his voice a little bit quieter. "It was a request from His Highness."

Hube blinked his widened eyes. "…I see."

The orange haired half Mazoku shook his head at that. "Poor thing; looked willing enough but it wasn't like she had a choice. Well then I guess it'll be up to us to make her feel comfortable, ne?"

"We are on an important mission," Hube frowned. "We can't afford to fail His Majesty."

"Aw come on! She's just a girl, Hube! Have a heart!"

"We need to capture von Grantz and take him into custody. What if she gets taken as a hostage or if she got hurt?"

Yozak smirked that cocky, confident smirk he was well known for as he put his hand over the wide gates that led to the royal stables which was really a very big plot of land that had a large farmhouse with wide grounds outside to exercise the horses on.

"Then it's up to us to make sure that doesn't happen." He winked at his companion.

Hube raised his brows and glanced at him knowingly. "I see. So His Highness has left you with another task above it all, has he not?"

Yozak merely laughed and opened the gates.

All they saw on the grounds was a magnificent white stallion with a mane of raven black hair being brushed by a stable boy in clothing two sizes too big for him with what seemed to be a blue baseball cap on his head. The only thing betraying how slender he was beneath the coal gray peasant shirt, gray green pants and black leather boots was the snug brown belt around his waist.

"Well," Yozak grinned sheepishly at his dark haired companion. "No coach and four and a battalion of maids yet. I think it's a good sign."

"She's late." Hube walked in and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not happy.

"Come on; don't go all impatient noble with me, you're starting to look like Morgif." Yozak laughed, clapping him again on the shoulder."Women are allowed to be fashionably late."

They then noticed the stable boy finishing up with the horse and were now mounting it. It was done with such quiet grace one would think the boy had done it for years which may not be an impossibility. It looked as though the horse was being put into its paces expertly. However, Hube straightened in shock when the horse passed under a torch and he got a clear look at it.

"Eh?" Yozak turned to his companion with a blink. "What's wrong?"

Hube ignored him and approached the horse and its rider. "Hey, you!"

The stable boy turned his head towards him and pulled slightly on the reins to stop the horse from going further. The boy didn't speak and merely watched him.

Hube sternly reprimanded the boy but kept his distance. "Just what do you think you're doing?! Don't you know whose steed this is?!"

"Eh?" came a quiet sound from the boy.

"This is one of His Excellency Gwendal's prized war horses trained especially by his hand! What sort of Houjutsu have you used to confound it and make it obey you?!"

"Anno…"

"Oi, Yozak! Sir Brischella!" they turned to see an irritated Dorcas holding onto what looked like a sleeping bag and some provisions as he hissed at them from the barn so as not to wake the other horses. "What took you so long?! My lady has been waiting here for an hour now!"

"What are you talking about?" Yozak, asked, bored. "I don't see her ladyship around here at all."

"What, are you blind?" Dorcas huffed. "She's right there!"

Hube and Yozak stiffened and then turned towards the direction where the soldier's finger was pointing and sure enough, it pointed towards the stable boy. When the wind blew the torchlight over her features, both spies almost fell over.

"H-heika…?" Yozak asked uncertainly as he tried to peer more clearly in the darkness. Damn it, did the kid find out what they were about to do and decided he wanted to come along? Gwendal was going to kill them! "What are you doing here?"

"Don't be rude, that's not His Majesty, that's Her Ladyship!" Dorcas nearly shrieked at him.

Yozak blinked again and, sure enough, when the stable boy came under the torch light, what was supposed to be all hard planes and angles softened to curves and humps. He knew they were twins but this was the first time he had seen any physical evidence of it. She looked like the female version of Yuuri!

Except there was something different about the ebony eyes that stared back at them. They seem to hold a strange wisdom that could rival Ulrike's only the light in them seemed tired… weary even… It urged both men to respect her despite their knowledge that she was merely a child compared to everybody else in the castle except for the soukoku rulers and Greta.

"It's alright, Dorcas-kun," she began, smiling sheepishly at them as she scratched the back of her neck. "I've always known I looked like a boy."

"That is not true! Her Ladyship is very beautiful!" Dorcas stood up straight and saluted her.

Kagome laughed in embarrassment. "Arigatou for helping me saddle up Yukishiro."

"What the-? _Yukishiro_?!" Hube stared at the steed that flared his nostrils and glared at him, seemingly daring him to come closer, with horror. "You _named_ this monster?!"

Their eyes bulged out even further when Kagome pouted at them and glared as she hugged the horse around the neck. "Yukishiro is _not_ a monster! I don't know why you're saying such mean things to him; he's practically a pussy cat!"

Yozak snorted in disbelief, finally understanding why Hube was all worked out. He's been on Gwendal about keeping one of the thoroughbreds for himself from the time when they were sixteen since both of them had a passion for horseflesh but the horses were too well trained to let Hube near. Seeing a practical stranger handle the animal so easily may have hurt some of what was left of his childish Mazoku pride.

It amused the orange haired spy immensely. "My Lady, that's a thoroughbred Mazoku war horse your cuddling right there. They are especially bred for battle. They're not your tame, run-of- the-mill 'pussy cats' who pulls the magic carriage and takes you on a ride to happily ever after. They're trained to kill people and trained to throw off any person not its master off their backs if anyone else attempts to mount it. That particular piece you're playing teddy with only answers to His Excellency Gwendal just like his favorite horse. What in Shinou's name did you do to get him to come outside with you?"

Kagome blinked. "Nothing."

"I'm sorry if I find that hard to believe."

"My lady!" Dorcas wailed from the ground, still not stupid enough to come near the horse. "Please get down from there!"

Kagome pouted. "But you said I can pick any horse I wanted in the stables."

"But—"

"I don't see a reason why she can't take it with her; it seems their already in love." Yozak shrugged.

"Yozak!"

He ignored Hube.

"Since the lady is already ready and showed us up by being here earlier than both of us then we should get going," Yozak grinned, accepting his own horse's reins from a still alarmed looking Dorcas. "We are on a time limit, after all."

"I'm sorry if my coming here this early has offended you," she told them, bowing her head slightly in apology which made both half Mazoku and full Mazoku look back at her in surprise. "I just didn't want to bother anyone else with the preparations. I've already taken too much of Dorcas-kun's time."

"AH it's no trouble at all, my lady! I, Dorcas, am _honored_ that you sought my assistance!" Dorcas half shouted in a stiff salute.

Yozak laughed. "I was actually giving kakkafujin (Her Excellency) a compliment. We're actually glad you came early."

Seemingly reassured that she hadn't made anyone mad at her, the young woman smiled brightly and nodded. "Please, none of this kakkafujin stuff. My name is Kagome."

Yozak grinned back while Hube relaxed a bit.

_Well this was going to be an interesting trip._

/****/

"Gwendal, do you really think it's wise to have let Lady Kagome go with Yozak and Hube like that?!" Gunter asked his dark haired friend in concern. "If His Majesty finds out about this he is going to be truly angry! You have seen how he is with Her Ladyship!"

"Do you think I haven't tried to stop her?" Gwendal asked the lilac haired man in irritation even as his hand flew over the papers on his desk. "It was His Highness' request and she accepted it of her own free will. There was nothing I could have done."

"Oh this is terrible!" Gunter wailed on as though he didn't hear Gwendal speak. "The pain His Majesty will go through once he discovers her disappearance just makes my heart break!"

Gwendal sighed, put down his quill and massaged his temples wearily. There was no dealing with Gunter when he was in this state. Instead, he lost himself to musings of his own.

He _tried_, damn it! Shinou knew how hard he tried but there was just no changing her mind! Did Gunter think he loved knowing she was out there with only those two for protection facing Shinou knows what kind of danger? He would much rather have her here in his direct line of sight where he knew she was safe. For His Majesty's sake of course. It had absolutely nothing to do with how his senses still tingled with the memory of how her soft flesh felt in his hand… Or how small she was compared to him… Or how good she smelled; like lily of the valleys… Or how her sable eyes looked into his own with such tenderness it made his knees go weak…

"It's been two days!" Gunter cut off his line of thought again making Gwendal grateful for the first time in a long time that Gunter was such a drama queen. "His Majesty is already asking after her and I can only keep him busy for so long! What will we tell him if he finds out?!"

"Then he will just have to deal with it." Gwendal said, a little more harshly than he should if he were to judge by the way Gunter looked back at him in shock. "It's time he grew up and realized that everything can't be given to him on a silver platter."

"Gwendal!"

"You spoil him too much," the dark haired Mazoku continued. "And now his precious sister is out there doing her duty by him because he can't make a decision."

"…Don't you think that's a little too harsh?"

He did. But since the young woman rode away on that mission he had been more than a little short tempered. Why was he worrying? He should be elated! Now that she was away he had no reason to be distracted. Right? _Right_?

What the hell was happening to him?! He didn't understand _any_ of it! Is this some sort of punishment? What's next, him joining Yozak in his cross dressing hobby?

He shuddered at the thought.

"Nonetheless, His Highness wishes for this information to be kept between himself, Yozak, Hube, myself and you. Do not let anyone else know unless circumstances make it impossible or if His Highness deems it alright." He was distracted by the sound of wings coming to his window.

Seeing this, Gunter opened it and neatly took the letter off the pigeon's neck and read it. "Gwendal."

"What is it?" Gwendal asked gruffly.

"It's a letter from Cabalcade."

"And?"

Gunter looked up at him, his handsome purple eyes grim. "Intelligence is reporting the presence of several lesser nobles all doing trade in Cabalcade all at the same time and Lord Hrysto Cruyff is saying their presence is most suspicious. He wants someone to visit and make sure they are not a part of the faction trying to break the Shin Makoku alliance. Also…"

Gwendal raised his brows at that, wary of his friend's little pause. "He isn't sure but these 'traders' seem to be transporting a serious amount of Maseki and introducing them as goods but they are yet to be put on sale. Gwendal…"

The dark haired Mazoku noble nodded and rose from his seat, understanding that this may lead them to the factions leading those who wanted to rebel against the king. If he were able to trace those fools then there would be no reason to let Kagome's party delve deeper into human territory and find that upstart Rolf. If worst came to worst then he may be able to talk von Karbelnikoff and von Grantz to put the fool into exile.

"I will go. Advise the Maou that I am called away and do not let him go out on his own no matter what he says unless His Highness says it's alright. Tell Conrad that His Majesty is still in danger of being assassinated outside the castle walls."

"And if he refuses to listen?"

"I am sure His Highness will find a way to reason with him as he always does." Gwendal glared at Gunter. "I'll be leaving for Cabalcade today. You may make my excuses."

The lilac haired man straightened and placed his hand on his chest as a sign of sincerity. "Hai."

/****/

Yozak was impressed.

It was true that he had little expectations when he was told that he and Hube were to take the Maou's sister with them and he was more than ready to make allowances for her since he felt it deep in his gut that she was a good person. Also, he needed to get to know her better and know how he can deal with her since she seems to have quite an influence on the Maou. And anything that influenced the Maou influenced the entire land of Shin Makoku which he loved more than his life itself.

What he wasn't expecting was for her to pass herself off as a boy instead of dressing according to her station in luxurious silks and laces; or for her to ride on a terrible war horse instead of commissioning a coach and four. Hell, their first night on the road she even caught them dinner from a stream, telling them they should save their provisions after Yozak told her what kind of country Suberera was. She hadn't used her bow and arrows yet but the way she took care of it said a lot about her experience with the weapon. And now, she sat and rested against a wall of an overcrowded cabin only the poorest of peasants can afford since Yozak made the mistake of dealing with the wrong merchant as though she belonged here with these smelly strangers. Hell, Wolfram _whined_ more than she did. Instead of making the journey difficult, she actually went out of her way to make it as agreeable for them as possible.

Hube didn't say anything but Yozak knew better than think his one eyed companion did not notice their lady's resilience. He had even caught the dark haired man eyeing her with more than a bit of respect from time to time which was a lot considering Hube's initial opinion of her.

He was awakened from his light slumber in the rickety old ship when he heard a slight gasp. Opening his eyes and instantly alert, he searched for the origin of the sound in the guise of still being asleep. He was surprised when he saw Kagome block off what looked like a sob with her hand; it seemed she was woken up by something. A nightmare?

_'Watch her,'_ he remembered His Highness instructing him right after Kagome accepted the assignment and Gwendal left shortly after to go to Shinou knows where. The words echoed clearly in his mind. _'Tell me everything that happens to her up to the slightest hiccup. It's very important. Do you understand me, Yozak…?'_

The orange haired spy watched as the female soukoku clutched at her chest so tightly it looked like she was trying to tear her heart out. She then stood up as quietly as she could and left her makeshift bedding of a few tattered rags on the floor before making her way to the stairs and what he assumed would be the deck. A glance at Hube told him he had noticed the same thing. Both of them rose and followed her in silent agreement; worried at what was happening to her.

They were shocked to find her on the deck's floor where most of the heavy wooden crates were located, leaning against the railing and curled in and over herself in what seemed like unbearable pain while stifling what he would guess would be cries and screams of agony. She didn't look like she was seasick. Communicating silently out of habit, Hube hung back while Yozak approached her.

"My Lady!" he asked in concern, kneeling beside her. "My Lady, what's wrong?!"

She looked up at him in surprise, clearly not expecting him to follow but as soon as she was aware of his presence, she straightened herself up and smiled at him to hide her agony. "Y-yozak! I'm sorry did I wake you up?"

"Never mind that!" he half snapped at her. "What's wrong with you?!"

She shook her head and he noticed how she forced her hand away from her chest and how it shook slightly at the effort. "Nothing, I'm just a little seasick, I guess."

Yeah? And he was Cheri-sama in a string bikini. "If you were ill you shouldn't have come with us!"

"I'm not ill, I'm fine."

"My Lady—"

"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you?" she asked him with a mock displeased frown. "It's Ka-Go-Me. Seriously, what idiot would take me for a lady in these clothes?"

"But—"

"It's fine, Yozak, I'm alright," she cut him off again with a distant look in her ebony eyes. "You don't have to be nice to me; I'm not Yuuri. You're not obligated to like me, I understand."

Yozak blinked. It was clear she was desperate about not talking about whatever pain she had just gone through earlier. It was a difficult decision but he decided to let it pass. He would humor her until he can observe a little more. He had the entire journey to keep an eye out for her. In the meantime, though, this was an opportunity to explore another curious side of her.

She would exude wisdom and confidence one moment and then be shy and dismissive of herself the next. He had never met a female like her before. "Eh? Why would you think I'd only be nice to you just because you're bocchan's sister?"

"Well," she looked up into the starlit sky filled with stars while pulling her knees to her chest. "I'm assuming a lot of you guys would either be afraid or angry with me. I'm pretty sure you've already heard about me; demon melting miko and all. I can't blame you for it. Besides, I'm not really anyone special…"

Yozak blinked. "Well, I have to admit that I should watch out about pissing you off but I'm known to be a generally nice guy. I'm nice to everyone, just ask around! I'm half human so I really can't care less about origins and stuff but I _am_ pretty strict when it comes to my job."

"Yeah, you're pretty meticulous," She nodded to him. "Putting us on this ship was a great idea. No one would suspect were up to no good."

Yozak blinked. Then blinked again. And then his usual grin lit up his face and he relaxed against the railings with her, allowing the crates to hide them both. "Sorry to burst your bubble but this was actually an honest mistake. I had no idea that crook just bought this old boat from the old owner. I actually liked the original owner, really. Been dealing with him for years. Thought I was some fiddler jumping from human country to Shin Makoku visiting both parents on either side."

"Really? Well it's alright, we're fine," she patted his large arm comfortingly as though _he_ was the one who needed comforting. "We're going to get to Cabalcade then we'll ride from there to the borders of Suberera and that's what matters. From there on I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find what we're looking for."

She made it sound like this was a team effort when all he and Hube were instructed to do was act as her bodyguards while _she_ did the searching.

"Say! I've only read a little about Cabalcade! Now that you're awake, why don't you tell me more about it?" she went on, obviously trying to distract him. "Yuuri tells me a lot of stories about it and the human countries he's allied with. Are they really that great?"

"Well, they're as stable as any other country in human territory if that's what you wanted to know," he started, watching the eager sparkle in her eyes that reminded him of a child waiting for a good bedtime story. "They were the first country who signed the alliance with Shin Makoku. Their former crowned prince met bocchan on a ship while he was travelling to retrieve Morgif."

"Yeah, Yuuri told me about the pirates in sailor outfits; I laughed my ass off," she giggled at the memory. "He also told me that's where he first met you."

Yozak smirked this time, not even conscious that he was being drawn into a light hearted conversation already. "Actually, the first time I met him was in the public baths in the von Voltaire estates. He just floated up from the pool naked."

"Eh? Really?!"

Yozak slapped his knee at the memory, laughing. "He almost got raped by a couple of fanboys!"

"Gah that cheater! He never told me anything about that!"

Yozak grinned wider. She was cute when she was fuming. However, her words reminded him of her circumstances. "Say, my La— er Kagome. I couldn't help but notice how you seem to be really used to travelling. And you ride that horse so well it's like you're a born equestrian."

"Oh," she blushed even as she took on a distant look and the night sea breeze blew strands of her sable black hair around her smooth, pale cheeks making her look like the delicate young woman she really was instead of the boy she was pretending to be. He had a feeling his bocchan was going to have his hands full what with fending off suitors from asking for her hand in marriage if he keeps on insisting keeping her in Shin Makoku. "That's because I've been travelling around since I was fifteen. My friends and I were searching for the shards of a jewel called the Shikon no Tama that I accidentally broke while I was trying to get it back. We slept on the ground a lot and I kinda learned how to ride a demon cat along the way. I guess, after a flying nekomatta, a thoroughbred war horse was easy."

"A demon cat?" Yozak blinked.

"Yeah!" she nodded cheerfully. "In the dimension and time I come from, demons have similarities to nature itself so they take the form of certain animals or plants around them. Some of them can take on almost humanoid form and others just take on the form of animals that have special abilities like Kirara. Others take on powers similar to the elements like water or fire."

The orange haired spy wasn't sure if he should believe her or not. "Really now…?"

"Uh huh. If you were there you would probably be a fox youkai. You're certainly cunning enough."

Yozak laughed. "You know what? I'm not really sure what you're talking about but I'll take that as a compliment. But Yuuri-heika usually says he comes from a peaceful place back on Earth and even Little Lord Brat Wolfram says there are a lot of modern conveniences back there that would put Annisina-sama's inventions to shame. Why would you choose to lie on the ground?"

A sad, almost wistful smile stretched across Kagome's tulip pink lips and a deep sadness that made Yozak think. "Well, I'm not really sure why I'm even telling you this but… You see, on Earth, I don't really just travel around in that particular timeline. I have a well back in my foster parents' shrine that can take me 500 years into the past where all those 'modern conveniences' weren't even thought of yet."

Yozak perked up in interest. "I see. So that's what you meant when you were telling us about the dagger."

"No one in modern society would even know such a thing existed much less believe such a thing such as a cursed dagger made by a dark miko just as no one would believe the existence of a Maou," she told him as her chin leaned in her knees and whispered. "Nor would anyone even think about the tale of a miko falling in love with a half dog demon who would never love her back…"

Yozak may act the fool but he was one of the sharpest tools in the shed if he did say so himself. That certainly sounded like the whisper of a broken heart. And judging from how she had hidden that pain earlier, he was pretty sure she wasn't ready to talk about this, either.

He found that he actually honestly _liked_ her. Sure he would still watch her like a hawk all throughout the journey but what he did see now he could appreciate. She was honest and caring and certainly obvious that she was the naïve Maou's sister. She was different from the other ladies of nobility by the way she would rather not be noticed at all and just helped people without being recognized. She was truly Yuuri's twin. The only difference was; where Yuuri was like an open book, Kagome was like a story that had plenty of cliffhangers.

She had secrets. Secrets that seemed to be giving her a lot of pain and they made her ebony eyes older that they seem. Secrets she tried to cover up with her show of strength and smiles. It's no wonder the Maou was so protective of her.

As for Yozak, he had found himself a new idol! He looked up at Hube who had leaned against the darkest part of the wall that led to the cabins beneath the ship and he saw his imperceptible, reluectant nod. They were thinking the same thing.

"Well then, Kagome!" he reached out and ruffled her cap covered head with a brotherly hand. "You should get some rest before we get to Cabalcade. After that we travel east to Suberera. You'll need all the rest you can get since it's going to be a long ride."

She looked up and stared at him as though reading through his actions and then smiled gratefully. "Alright. Thank you so much, Yozak."

She used the edge of one of the crates surrounding them to get up from the floor and Yozak was starting forward already, ambling in the darkness clumsily when he knocked his foot against one of the crates making a piece of its wooden planking break off from the box.

"Uh oh," Yozak said as he picked up the broken piece. "This looks like it got drenched in water, it's all brittle and weak. Geez… well as long as no one sees us, ne?"

"Yozak," he heard Kagome call him. She was crouching down and looking at something on the deck. Whatever it was seemed to be coming from the now partially opened crate. "How pretty… What are these? Precious stones?"

Raising orange brows, the spy slash cross dresser peered down and his sparkling blue eyes widened when he saw what exactly Kagome was looking at.

"Yozak?" he heard Kagome call his name. It seemed he hadn't moved in a while.

Feeling Hube appear near them he took one of the stones and tossed it over to his partner whose remaining eye also widened before hissing the word in his mind out loud. "Maseki…!"

"Gah, Hube!" Kagome half shrieked, half hissed in surprise. "When did you get here?!"

Yozak nodded and frowned. Maseki were not only precious stones in Shin Makoku, they are also believed to possess special powers. Special ones can even restore or reanimate things with magical power and these looked like they were specially mined. Were all the contents in these crates the same? But why? Why would they smuggle Maseki out of the country?!

"I smell something rotten." He frowned.

"Hai." Hube agreed.

"Eh?" Kagome was looking from him and Hube in confusion.

Yozak grinned at her reassuringly before he patted her head again. "Say, Kagome; do you mind if we take a little detour while we're in Cabalcade? We just want to look something up."

Kagome blinked but then responded after a while. "Sure, I don't mind."

"Thanks."

Yozak felt dread creeping up his spine. It wasn't natural for this amount of Maseki to leave Shin Makoku and travel over to human land even if they _were_ allied. He would take a quick look around and then send pigeons to Gwendal. He may want to look into this himself.

/***********/

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	10. Chapter 10

**A.N**.: Dedicated to yorushihe; come on, don't cry! It's only a cliffie! Also to KibaSin for some really useful advice ^^v

Happy Reading!

**Chapter 10**

"Yuuri-heika."

"Gah!"

Yuuri stiffened and almost had a heart attack but relaxed when he saw it was only Conrad who called out to him. His godfather smiled warmly at him when he came near. "Whew, it's only you, Conrad; don't scare me like that. And keep your voice down; if Wolfram finds me ditching paperwork while Gwendal's away, I'm finished!"

Conrad's smile widened at Yuuri's pout. "What are you doing in Her Ladyship's corridor? Gunter says she didn't want to be disturbed. You _know_ you don't want to make her angrier."

The Maou sighed sadly. "I know, I know but… I was hoping that… you know? She'd forgive me already. I mean it's not like I wanted to hurt her, right? As her brother it's my right to keep her away from that fart, right?"

"Well to be honest?" the warm eyed night said. "If I were in her place, I'd be pretty mad at you too."

"Wah?! But, Conrad—"

He was cut off by his godfather's mildly raised brows. "Tell me, Yuuri, how many times have you and Shouri argued about this very same thing?"

"That's different! Shouri's a pain in the ass!"

"And he loves you like no other."

"But—"

"If Shouri somehow drags you around and tells you, you can't be Maou anymore because it's too dangerous right after you have sacrificed so much to get to where you are, would you be happy about him too?"

Yuuri's troubled face looked towards Kagome closed doors and Conrad softened at the despair he saw in it. "No."

"You need to respect the fact that she has built a life away from you; that she has duties of her own to fulfill no matter dangerous they are."

Yuuri sighed heavily. "I just think it's unfair, Conrad. She's gone through Kami knows what facing every sort of danger there while I am surrounded by safety and security here! Sure it wasn't a walk in the park and I've had a lot of misses but you guys cover for me! If you knew about the Feudal Era of Japan then you would understand it's hardly a picnic especially not for a 15 year old girl who shouldn't have anything to do with it. I just want… what's best for her. I don't like seeing her suffer.

"Did you know that she's at the top of her class before all this happened?" Yuuri breathed out in irritation. "She was popular; _pretty_! Boys lined up to ask her out! Her whole future was ahead of her! She was the smart one, I bet she's even smarter than Shouri! Whenever I hear her tell me about her adventures I just keep on wondering, what if she'd been the Maou…?"

"Yuuri…"

"Question was would I be able to survive if I were given her job," the Maou said bitterly. "Would I be able to accomplish half of what she was able to do?"

"I have no doubt you would have, don't think for a moment you would have failed and I admire that you want to give her a time to heal," Conrad placed a warm hand over his king's shoulder. "But is she really the type of person who loves just to suffer?"

"No…" Yuuri sighed again, looking directly at the suite of rooms next to his in discontent. "But she loves everything and everyone! For all I know, she's just sorry for the guy."

Conrad's brows flew to his hairline. "Sorry for him?"

"Inuyasha's half human, half demon just like us," Yuuri pursed his lips. "Back in that era, Halflings don't have it easy either; even worse. Here you'll get ridiculed and belittled but back there you can get killed. I remember her telling me Inuyasha lost his human mother at a very young age and his demon father the day he was born so he was pretty much all alone since childhood with no one to care for him. Humans would shun him and the demons would try to eat him. I _know_ my twin sister, Conrad and though she may say other wise I don't believe that that's love she's feeling. She allowed herself to think she's in love with him because she thinks Inuyasha has no one else."

Conrad blinked; amazed by the seriousness his Maou was showing him. He had seen Yuuri state a lot of things but none with this kind of confidence. It was mesmerizing. He had observed that ever since Kagome came it was like something in Yuuri became complete. Like he had become more mature, more of a man ever since Kagome arrived. Like a piece of a long forgotten puzzle had found a place back in the young man's heart.

"That does not explain Kikyo."

"Kikyo is dead," Yuuri frowned at the name. "And all she wants is to drag Inuyasha to hell. If I were in Kagome's place I would want to save him too even if I had to promise my soul to make him stay."

"…I see," Conrad stared at the closed portal Yuuri was in front of with new respect. "Kagome… is an unusual being as well."

"What's worse is she's hiding things from me!" Yuuri said and Conrad could almost feel his frustration flowing off him in waves. "If she were in danger I should have felt it but I only found out because I initiated the connection this time! She's keeping something from me, I know it!"

"And what could that be?"

"I don't know but that's also one of the reasons I took her here," Yuuri sighed helplessly. "She's always been the more secretive one."

"She may have her reasons, Yuuri."

Yuuri nodded as he looked down, his eyes softening with sadness. "We've never fought like this before! It's hurting me and I don't know what to do! I thought introducing her to Greta would help but I forgot about– Oh what a mess!"

Conrad patted his back in sympathy. "Well then why don't you give her something else? Another peace offering if you're not ready to have her return to the Feudal Era? Something that would remind her of the past but would help her heal for the future?"

Yuuri blinked thoughtfully for a few minutes and Conrad could practically see the cogs in the Maou's brain working before a big smile stretched over his face. "Will I not be enough?"

"Yuuri, right now, you're only contributing to her pain," Conrad scolded him lightly. "It's obvious she's been through a lot and if she's keeping this from you she may be doing it only to protect you. Think about it, alright? I'm not saying that you let her go back is you're not ready, I'm just saying you should reassure her that whatever she decides you'll support her. I'm guessing you don't even understand why she wants to go back or how she intends to protect the jewel, am I right?"

"…I have an idea…"

"Yuuri, if she's as great as you think she is then you should show her and her purpose in life some respect." Conrad frowned at him a little. "Your love for this country has changed it; for all you know her love would bring the jewel peace."

"_That's it_! Conrad you're a genius!"

"I am?" Conrad blinked, wondering what he said this time.

But Yuuri was already running away. "I'm going to find Murata! I'll need to talk to him and then make plans! Oh! And don't let Kagome know where I am!"

Conrad smiled as he watched his godson run off to brainstorm with his best friend. He didn't know what Yuuri had in mind but he would bet everything that he had that it would bring amusing results.

The king's favorite knight stood outside the white portal leading into Kagome's room and wondered at what Yuuri said, his smile taken off his face. When he met Kagome that day during breakfast he noticed that faint whiff of desperate sadness in her eyes as well so he had an idea why Yuuri would think she was keeping something from everyone. He ignored this fact since he thought it was something related to this Inuyasha fellow but now, after being with Yuuri for these past few years, he knew to trust his Maou's feelings.

He made a promise to himself that he will find out what she's keeping from Yuuri before his king finds out about it too late and is saddened by whatever his sister was keeping from him.

"Lady Kagome…" he whispered to the door. "Just what kind of suffering are you going through…?"

/****/

He looked back at her with regret in his eyes before taking Kikyo's hand and _again_ he turned away and walked away from her straight into that dark void away from her…

Straight into hell…

"_Inuyasha_!"

Kagome sat up in bed half gasping, half sobbing out the name she had called so many times and in so many different ways for what felt like most of her life. Even as her despairing mind she recognized the inn that Yozak commissioned for them to stay in their first night in Cabalcade but she couldn't shut off the longing, the pain and the heartbreak that always accompanied the memories; the dreams… The fears… All she could do was sit there hugging herself and shake as she rode out the emotions that came with them with gasping sobs she was trying to keep silent as best as she could. She didn't want to wake anybody up. Yozak thought it would be safer to get one room for the three of them and she didn't complain, having had to share rooms or worse before with her friends. Besides, she should be used to the nightmares now; they always came right after that single night of pain that struck her every thirty days. She knew what it was; it was a reminder.

A reminder that she didn't have much time left…

"Are you alright?"

The female soukoku almost jumped a foot in the air when the deep voice of Sir Geigen Hube Brischella shot into the darkness of the room quietly and, having her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, she found him sitting right beside the open window watching her as she slept. Yozak was nowhere in sight.

"I-I'm sorry…" she swallowed when her voice broke and she forced shaking hands to wipe off tears that were too stubborn to stop. "I-I didn't want to disturb you…"

"…It's not like that," he said after a while in his quiet baritone. "Yozak and I have a system when it comes to guarding you. On the road I stay up for half the night while he slept and he does the same for the rest of it. He's out tonight, trying to gather information about the people hauling in all that Maseki. He should be back in a while."

"Oh…" was all she could say, not bothering to peer at his face since it would be useless without the light of a lamp but her voice practically screamed her tears out. Oh why can't she stop _crying_…?! "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to be so much trouble."

He rose up and brought her a cup of water much to her surprise. "Drink."

Her lips trembled; all she really wanted to do was hide under the covers and wait out the tremors her emotions brought because of the dreams but she understood he was making an effort and she didn't like seeing efforts wasted. So she took the clay cup and drank. She was surprised when her mouth was engulfed with something pleasantly sweet.

"It's a Zorashiya specialty, Burborian sweet tea. My wife is fond of it because she says it cheers her up when she's feeling down," Hube started to explain when she shot him a surprised look. "She wanted me to take some home for her."

Kagome blinked rapidly, noticing that she wasn't crying anymore. Her tears have stopped. She smiled shakily at the dark haired spy. "So is this made out of honey from Burborian bees?"

Hube blinked at her before answering solemnly. "No, Burbor are plants. They used to be imported from Zorashiya but since that country was ruined because of civil war Cabalcade had to develop a substitute. I was lucky enough to get a merchant to sell me the real thing for Nikola. The substitutes here in Cabalcade are far too inferior because of the soil and quality of the plant, or so I hear."

"Really…?" Kagome's interest was peaked as soon as she heard the word 'plants' but when she realized what the cup in her hand meant, she immediately washed it away with guilt. "Oh, Hube, I'm sorry! This was for your wife! And after you went through all that trouble—"

"Nikola would not have minded," he dismissed her concerns. "She always said that these things should be shared with the people who need it."

Kagome started tearing up at the kindness she was receiving but she blinked back the tears and her smile became brighter once she spoke again. "Yuuri has told me your story as well as Nikola's and I would love to meet her one day if it's alright."

The dark man's half smile conveyed his pride at the thought. "As my lady wishes."

She sighed. "Geez, what'll it take for you guys to just call me Kagome?"

Hube fidgeted. "You are the sister of the demon king; it practically makes you his regent; therefore you deserve the highest of respects."

"Right, like I'll ever be interested in politics…" she grumbled as she drained the cup, making a mental note to research it later. "Seriously, I'm much more interested in this tea."

It was dark so she wasn't able to see his mouth twitch before he walked back to the chair he placed beside the window and just regarded her silently as she quietly finished her drink. After a while, though, his deep baritone filled the room again.

"Yozak tells me you believe Rolf is innocent."

Kagome blinked. It wasn't something she was expecting, after all and this would make the first time Hube ever engaged her in a conversation. "Because my heart tells me so."

Hube looked away and stared at the shadowed streets outside their window. "He is brash."

"He is young," she found herself repeating her argument with Gwendal. "The young are magnificently foolish."

"That is no excuse to believe him."

"It is also no excuse to judge him."

"Then what would you have them do?"

Kagome sighed. "You and your cousin are certainly the same, aren't you?"

"Lord von Voltaire only has the safety and honor of Shin Makoku in mind."

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "You sound proud of him."

He crossed his arms over his chest and answered gruffly. "He is the most honored and powerful of all von Voltaire heirs since the founder himself. His accomplishments in and outside the battlefield are all legendary."

Kagome stifled her laughter. What is it with men and their not-too-straightforward answers? "I have no doubt that Lord von Voltaire is a great leader and a good man; however you place an unfair burden on him by thinking he can do no wrong."

Hube snorted from his seat and once again Kagome found her heart going out to the absent Mazoku lord. No wonder he took everything so seriously. She wondered absently if this was task he had taken upon himself or something he was raised to do. Either way it left him with a large burden. Something she, of all people, understood very well.

"In any case," she chose to continue. "I believe that Lord von Grantz is innocent because of my own reasons. I can't really change the way you think but if this is how all Mazoku feel then I am glad Yuuri is your Maou. I'm pretty sure that he's the only reason why you guys haven't hunted down the poor guy."

Hube sighed. "His Majesty has a heart too generous to break. We do not want to hurt him."

"Yuu-chan is stronger than you think," Kagome reprimanded him gently earning a strange look from him. "And I do believe you know that, Hube."

He stared at her for what seemed like a long, assessing moment before he spoke again. "…You are so much like His Majesty that it is disturbing, did you know that?"

Kagome laughed softly at the observation; how many times has she heard that comment from mutual friends and relatives since she was seven? "So I have been told."

He was lost in silent contemplation for a while and Kagome was beginning to settle into her own thoughts when he spoke again.

"Inuyasha." Kagome felt like she was doused in a bucket full of ice water at the name he called out. "Was that the man who had broken your heart?"

She couldn't answer him if she tried. Hearing _his_ name spoken from someone else's lips was like a stab in the gut that had her swallowing a rush of pain she didn't even know she was still capable of feeling.

"You shouted his name when you woke up; you whisper it while you sleep; we've heard it more than once while on the road," he continued when she didn't answer. "If he hurts you that much then… Well I just want you to know that if he's hurt you that much then he isn't worth your tears."

A tremulous smile was ripped from her against her will. Hube was certainly a man of effort; no wonder his wife fell in love with him. He reminded her so much of Gwendal and she was willing to make bets that the Mazoku general would be a thousand times worse since Yuuri kept telling her about how Gwendal took care of a pregnant Nikola before they found Hube.

"Thank you, Hube," she whispered back to him earning her a gruff snort. "You're a good man. Your family is lucky to have you but Inuyasha… He is someone I cannot regret loving; even if he does break me in pieces because he loved someone else…"

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps emanating from the door and both immediately tensed at the impending threat. Hube motioned for her to stay put but Kagome, being Kagome, got out of bed noiselessly and headed for her bow, notching it with an arrow and ready to back up the one eyed spy if need be. Hube raised his brows at that. She moved so fluently and efficiently, as though she had been in this position a thousand times before. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and unsheathed his sword, his stance signifying his readiness. The door opened and…

"Hey, yo!" called a smirking Yozak.

Both Kagome and Hube relaxed their positions as the orange haired Mazoku entered the room and locked the door safely before lighting the candle on the small table that came with the room.

"What have you got?" Hube greeted him, sheathing his sword.

Yozak sighed and flopped down on his bed in exhaustion. "Well, I confirmed a few interesting things if that's what you're wondering."

Hube sighed in irritation and Kagome sat on her bed and watched the cross dressing spy with amusement and with good reason in her opinion. Because at that moment Yozak was wearing a red and white exotic dancing girl's dress complete with golden tassels and dancing glitter. "You look _lovely,_ by the way."

Yozak's heavily made up face turned towards her and smirked. "Well of course!"

She raised a brow at him. "_And_ modest, I see."

"But it's always nice to get compliments!" he pouted.

"She's being polite now either change into something decent or tell us what you've learned." Hube grumped as he leaned against the wall beside his bed.

The former Luttenberg Warrior pouted his made up lips and fluttered his heavy, fake lashes back at his solemn partner. "I don't know what Nikola ever saw in you; you need to take lessons on how to treat a lady."

"Yozak."

"Oh fine!" Yozak grumbled, winking at Kagome who was trying to stifle her laughter behind a hand. He turned to the darker spy and his face became much more serious even though his voice did not lose its care free tone. "I looked into the shipping records to see who the new owner of the ship was but found it was all legit and that crook of a new owner's name was the only thing I could see registered _however_, I snuck into the captain's cabin to check out the list of the cargo and who they were supposed to be addressed to. And guess what?"

Yozak threw a folded piece of paper towards his partner who started reading he notes on it, his eyes widening after a few minutes and gazed back at Yozak with something akin to disbelief in his eyes. "Sir Gautier Archimbald Halifrid, Sir Reynaud Adelrich and Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing?!"

"The one and onlies!" Yozak grinned before sobering up. "Seems the three have been hauling quite a considerable amount of Maseki for quite a while now and instead of having them sold here in Cabalcade, they've been secretly hauling them off further into human lands instead."

"But what for?" Hube asked in complete confusion.

"I don't know yet but it couldn't be good."

"Anno…" Kagome finally interrupted and both men turned towards her. "Is it really that alarming, having Maseki transported out of Shin Makoku like this?"

"Well," Yozak sat up properly on his bed before answering her. "Usually Maseki are harmless. There are some that can provide amazing regeneration powers to anything that has any majutsu in it but those are rare. However, large amounts of Maseki, no matter how common, can result to an unpredictable reaction when they are gathered together."

"'Unpredictable'?"

"A long time ago it was said Maseki can be used like Houseki. It can't weaken humans like Houseki can do to Mazoku but they can be used for amplifying magic. I've never dabbled in it since I don't have it so I'm not really sure."

"I'm not particularly skilled at majutsu, I'm more of a swordsman myself," Hube spoke up, joining in on the conversation. "But I've heard speculations about Maseki having the ability to store majutsu eternally and expand it afterwards. I believe it was proven when the majutsu left behind by Erhardt von Wincott aided His Majesty in his battle with Sousho."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Like a magical amber stone!"

"A what?"

"Ambers are stones on Earth made from tree sap, preserved for a long time before it becomes a precious stone. Anything caught in the sap will retain its original form all through that time. Am I right?"

"It sounds right to me," Yozak grinned at her. "I don't have any evidence yet but my gut is telling me we need to find out more."

Hube nodded. "You think they have something to do with the rebellion?"

"Yup."

"I assume, by the way you're dressed, that you tried to obtain that information already."

The large half Mazoku spy's shoulders slumped in depression. "I tried to get myself recruited as the entertainment so I can get close enough to gather information but the owner still won't let me in! And I put on my best lipstick too!"

"Why a dancing girl?" Kagome asked, holding back a chuckle at his expense. "Why not a waitress or a maitre d'?"

Yozak grinned at her naughtily. "Because those three are known to let their guards down for exotic dancing girls on a regular basis and since humans are much more accessible and biddable than Mazoku women, they indulge in that here. It's why they're always together when they do trade in human land."

"You mean they've got a really sick fetish for this stuff?" Kagome's eyes widened.

"Never underestimate gossip."

"Well if you can't get in as a dancing girl then what should we do, Yozak?"

"That depends…" he then made her nervous when he started eyeing her from her delicate bare feet, her figure slightly laid open by a loose, sleeveless cream shirt and gray pants and her loose, wavy black hair enticingly flowing over her shoulders in an thick, ebony wave of eternal night. "Tell me, jouchan… Can you dance?"

/****/

Gwendal turned towards his host and was almost blinded by the presence of a shining head aimed particularly at him making him cover his eyes with his hand and wishing he had the foresight to borrow His Majesty's black tinted glasses before he left for Cabalcade. He had to admit, though, this greeting was a great diversionary tactic and he wondered if this was the reason why Cabalcade had survived through previous wars they were involved in. No matter how strong the opponent, all they had to do was take off their helmets, flash their shiny heads and while the enemy was blinded _BAM_! They could win just like that.

Seriously, humans and their strange customs… He thanked Shinou he was born Mazoku.

"Welcome back to Cabalcade, Lord von Voltaire, I appreciate you making it here on such short notice." Master Hrysto Cryff, former crown prince of Cabalcade greeted the Mazoku general as Gwendal came out of his carriage in his usual clothes concealed beneath a large coal gray cloak, his dark head hidden beneath a hood as well as half his face. "And I also appreciate that you have agreed to meet me at such a… place."

Gwendal almost snorted. It's not like he had a choice in the matter since he arrived alone and with as little fuss as possible so as not to alert his prey. He was a bit irritated that he had to be invited into a well known brothel here in Cabalcade but Hrysto said it was the only place the three nobles would frequent together. He did not make it a habit to frequent such places since he prided himself for his self control and was never short on escorts when he needed them. Such things were expected from a von Voltaire lord although he did not indulge in them often. "The pleasure is mine; I appreciate that you have taken the time to consider the need for secrecy."

Hrysto put his hat back on and nodded to him simply even as Gwendal's rented carriage left them on the sidewalk covered by the evening shadows of that evening. "The rebellion against Yuuri-heika is a big concern for us here in Cabalcade since we owe a lot to the Maou. Without him we would all be under the mercy of Dai Shimaron or Sousho. This is the least that we can do. Come, let's go inside. They are already in there. I have reserved a balcony seat for you so you can observe them while they are being entertained."

Gwendal nodded stoically and followed the man into the red light establishment. Even now the influence of their Maou never ceased to amaze him. That he would accomplish so much in his short rein was unbelievable indeed. His kindness and compassion was so rare that people, enemies and loyal subjects alike can't help but love him.

And to think that he shared those traits with his twin sister…

The thought of her made Gwendal clench his teeth as Kagome tried to intrude in his thoughts again. No! He had a mission and he will not allow her to consume him like this! She was nothing but a relation to the king! She was nothing but an annoyance! She was miles away from him far into human land searching for that upstart von Grantz! The only thing he should be concerned with about her is if she decided she wanted to be the regent and end up like Stoffel and he would make damn sure that didn't happen.

She. Meant. _Nothing_! Shin Makoku, however, was _everything_. Shin Makoku and his family were all that he lived for, all that was dear to him! Not some random new face from another world that can stop his heart from beating in a second and then get it started again so fast it felt like it would jump right out of his chest! Not some fool who believed in the foolish concept of loving one stranger who would merely break her heart. Besides, what would a naïve girl like her know of love? Despite the heartbroken way she acted at the mention of that hanyou Yuuri told them about she looked far too innocent to meet a man's needs. It's probably the reason why that half breed couldn't love her.

He sighed, fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Shinou, the girl can give Yuuri a run for his money when it came to giving him migraines…

"This way, Lord von Voltaire."

Hrysto ushered him up a flight of stairs from the brothel's back door and into a very private alcove that had a balcony with a clear view of the festivities being held on the open floor downstairs. It also had a round table with a pair of comfortable chairs; wine and fruits already served there and partially hidden from the crowd around them by a pair of dark red velvet curtains that one can close while enjoying other… illicit activities as the scantily covered serving girls seem to be inviting.

There were several other special alcoves like the ones they were in and, he noted, several of them were already 'enjoying' themselves. Such pathetic low lives, the creatures who feel the need to frequent such an establishment.

"I will need to leave you here for I cannot be seen in such a place," Hrysto told him, his face hidden behind his hat now. "I am married and I don't want to cast my family's name to shame."

"I understand," Gwendal nodded to him. "Where do they usually sit?"

"See that pile of cushions on the dais? Those are specifically arranged for whenever they're in town. That's where they get themselves entertained by the owners. When they tire of the entertainment, they pick one and take them to a room upstairs to get some more… private entertainment." The bald man said in obvious distaste. "If you need anything else from me please send me a message. I will be more than happy to assist you."

"Thank you." Gwendal answered and watched the man leave as though Sousho were chasing him with a pickaxe.

He then turned and sat on one of the chairs that would afford him the best view of the floor and, unknowingly, the entertainment as well. Which will be coming from, it seemed, from behind the curtained alcove facing the cushioned dais. Calmly picking up a cup of wine, Gwendal sniffed, finding the aroma pleasing, he took a sip and waited.

The waiting ended at the sound of what seemed like a dozen shrieking girls and uproarious male laughter coming into the room below and the Mazoku lord watched, hidden slightly behind a curtain. He instantly narrowed his eyes at the three noble Mazoku being pulled along by the group of scantily covered women and identified them immediately.

Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing, Sir Gautier Archimbald Halifrid and Sir Reynaud Adelrich.

All members of the Mazoku nobility of lesser rank. If he remembered correctly the latter two graduated together at the military academy while the former was a year ahead of them. There were a few… explicit rumors about them romping around with servant girls but since he had never had to deal with their messes Gwendal generally ignored it. Their family branches are controlled and more related to the von Roshvalls than any other higher ranking noble family.

Gwendal watched with ill concealed disgust as the three Mazoku allowed the women to fawn all over them, eyeing them all as nothing but pieces of meat or tools to slake their lusts on. He had nothing against humans but he was of the opinion that women should be treated with respect no matter what their station in life. Watching these three fondle and say crude words to these women was dishonorable and unbecoming of a nobleman.

He scowled even further when they started getting rough, Gautier, in particular, grabbing one of the girls' hair when she spilled some wine on him and roughly ordered her to lick it off him much to his companions' amusement. The others seemed to want to follow suit so the owner (who Gwendal assumed was the overly dressed, portly human watching on with a fake smile on his face) came forward and bowed to them.

"Good sirs, it is too kind of you to come to my humble establishment again!" he greeted.

The scowl on Gwendal's face darkened, displeased. He was going to have a talk with von Roshvall about this and force her to take action. They were the shame of the Mazoku!

"Millie, old man!" Reynaud shouted raucously as he banged the table in front of him with a fist, making the food and the women around him jump. He was obviously drunk already as were his companions. "Just the man we wanted to see! It's getting boring here, isn't it?"

"A-ah, yes, milord! Well then forgive me! We will do our best to liven it up by providing you with new entertainment!"

Willaperht sat forward in interest. "You have a new girl?"

Gwendal felt his brow twitch. Little upstart.

"Y-yes, we just acquired her this morning!" the owner was actually shaking. "Sh-she might interest you! Sh-she's a r-rare soukoku who has came to me looking for work. She said she hails from Suberera."

"Soukoku?"

"Impossible!"

"Are you sure?"

Gwendal's eyes widened. What the hell…?

The owner was nodding eagerly at them with an evil grin and a greedy glint on his face. "And she is very beautiful as well! My wife tested her but it is true! She has eyes as black as ebony and hair the color of a starless night!"

Obviously the three were intrigued; as was Gwendal at this point. For he only knew of one soukoku female and that female, for all he knew, would be deep within human territory now and not participating in this debauchery.

"Well what are you waiting for, idiot?!" Gautier snapped at the man, practically salivating where he was. "Bring her over!"

"Y-yes, milord!" the owner then nodded to the people around him and, just like that, the lights dimmed and the thrum of exotic music started.

(_Insert __**Siren Song**__ from Tsubasa Chronicles Reservoir…_)

The lights were then focused on the curtained alcove and as the music started, the thin curtains revealed the silhouette of a woman behind it.

The initial act was all hands and arms gracefully playing behind curtains and the girl inside seemed to be kneeling down; teasing her audience with the mysteries she held. And then on the second pass of the drums after that first pause in the beat she stood up with mesmerizing grace and the curtains were pulled away before she walked closer to the hungry eyed men, holding up a large, delicate veil covering the lower half of her face and nose; each step graceful and slow and timing itself to every beat of music played over the now silent room, her hips swaying seductively with every beat.

Though her face was partially covered Gwendal could see she truly was a soukoku what with her ebony hair loose and falling all over her back and chest like ripples of inky silk and mysterious onyx eyes that shone like black pebbles under a running stream. Every move she made promised paradise.

Usually Gwendal found such exotic human displays scandalous and disgusting since most humans lacked the grace to make such a dance beautiful but this woman made it look like art. She made it look like she was moving beauty…

He wondered if he had time to commission a moment with her…

When the music paused again and was preparing to hasten its crescendo, she moved her hands slowly in and over themselves and then made the bells attached to her wrists sing with a snap of them and allowed the veil to fall from her face and revealed it to frame her almost naked body in the dark green and black, tasseled and sequined costume and that was where Gwendal actually stood up from his seat, stunned; his heart stuttering violently inside his chest when he recognized who the beautiful woman was.

"Fuck…!"

It was _Kagome_.

And she was spinning around the floor, the veil flowing around her and framing her delicate face and body, putting all that beautiful skin and curves on display for these _louts_ salivating over her; want so clear and evident in their eyes it was hard to look away. But then was he any different from them…?

He watched as she moved her hips gently from side the side, the slow beat of the music emphasizing that the theme of her dance was seduction and Gwendal almost fell on his knees when she peeked under her sooty jet black lashes to run an absent, yet alluring glance at her audience, unknowingly brushing her gaze over him. Her hands subtly traced the outline of her body as though it needed any more attention. Gwendal wondered what it would feel like to touch that smooth, soft skin… To have those partially opened lips moving under his mouth…

_Shinou-heika!_

This was _wrong_!, he mentally shouted at himself as he panted. She was the Maou's _sister_! What was _happening_ to him?!

Still breathing hard he watched her seduce her audience until the very end of the dance when she knelt humbly to the ground making her look all the more desirable after that erotic display and respectfully bared her nape to the greedy and fascinated eyes of Reynaud and his peers telling them in no uncertain terms that she was theirs for the taking.

Soon the rowdy trio invited her over to join them on the cushions and she was then plying them with more wine. Gwendal gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached and narrowed his eyes at her.

"My beauty…" Reynaud eyed her like she was prime piece of meat. "Your loveliness knows no bounds…"

"I am flattered, milord, to be thought about in such a way by such a wealthy, honorable Mazoku such as you…" she responded, her voice low and seductive.

Gwendal twitched. What was she telling them? He was too far from them to hear!

Gautier laughed out loud. "My lady you have no idea! What with our goods all properly stashed and delivered we are going to be wealthier than before!"

"Oh?" she leaned over to the now blushing Mazoku, exposing more of her cleavage that what was proper. "You are merchants! What do you trade?"

Reynaud let out an amused laugh at her seeming ignorance. "Oh, the usual."

Her ebony eyes glistened. "You mean like jewels and silks?"

"Oho! The lady knows what she wants!" Willaperht called and seized her by her slim waist, tugging her so close Gwendal had his nails digging into the wooden balcony as he watched. "I think I have the most beautiful Maseki stone for your lovely little neck, my dear. Would you like me to show you? It's just up in my rooms…"

Gwendal gritted his teeth harder when Kagome dared use the tips of her delicate fingers to trace a coy circle over Willaperht's chest and looked deeply into his eyes in anticipation. "Truly…? Will you show me, milord…?"

"Err—"

"Don't be stupid, Will!" Gautier growled. "We'll need those stones together and have them delivered to Ichri by this week!"

"Oh but, milord!" Kagome pouted, making the male Mazoku swallow hard at the delicate piece of pouting flesh she was exposing. "I only wish to look… It is, after all, every girl's dream to bear witness to so much Maseki. I promise I won't take anything. Your company is more than enough for me…"

Reynaud cleared his throat after gawking at the woman before speaking. "Well, if it's just to look…"

Gautier swallowed hard. "It's fine then."

Willaperht glared at them both before pulling up a giggling Kagome by the waist and tugged her against him. "Me first."

_That stupid idiot! What does she think she was doing?!_ Gwendal was shaking in rage and desire as he watched her get taken away by that imbecile Willaperht. Did she give Yozak and Hube the slip and decided she wanted to escape the Mazoku by working here? _Like this_?! And he actually credited her with common sense!

Alright then, she wanted to play the whore? Then he'll let her play the part, Gwendal thought as he straightened; his eyes so cold it would have frozen storms at that moment. But he would not let her walk away from this without a lesson. He had made that mistake with Yuuri and allowed Conrart to spoil him. He would not make the same mistake with her…

And with those thoughts he pulled the hood over his dark head lower and, with a swish of his charcoal gray cloak, he left to follow the impudent girl and her soon to be very dead lover.


	11. Chapter 11

**A.N.: For my anonymous reviewer's benefit, here's the answer to your question:**

**Soukoku- a Mazoku with black hair and eyes**

**Happy Reading!**

**Chapter 11**

"Well shit…"

Yozak muttered as he fanned himself with a hand after they watched Kagome perform the dance to cool the blush off his face. "I wasn't expecting that."

"You told me not to worry." Hube shot him a sharp look.

"Well, sure, but I wasn't expecting _that_!"

"You sent her out into a brothel as an exotic dancer without even knowing what it would have _entailed_?"

"Shinou, Hube, of _course_ I knew what the job _entailed_!" Yozak looked back at his snarling partner defensively and pouted. "I just wasn't expecting her to be _that_ good at it!"

Him and Hube were right outside the building just across the street looking into the ground floor room from a wide window they had bribed an attendant to keep the curtain open to after a few lewd jokes and comments.

When Kagome told him she could dance and agreed to his brilliant plan, Yozak was ecstatic and immediately dug around his pack for the perfect outfit for her despite Hube's snarling protests but realized he was too big for her to fit into any of his clothes. After buying a maid's outfit from one of the workers at the inn they were staying in and making her wear it, getting into the brothel was a piece of cherry cheesecake. He was a little bit worried since Kagome was basically a foreigner and she insisted she keep her black hair and eyes to get the owners more interested in her but she assured him she was going to be fine. Apparently she wasn't kidding.

She was _more_ than fine.

Him and Hube gawking at her from across the street speechless were living proof of that.

"His Majesty is _so_ going to kill you…" Hube muttered, eye still bulging as he gaped at the female soukoku entertaining the three nobles on the cushions.

"Not if you shut up."

"There's a chance they'll be meeting her if there's ever a gathering in the palace and then what? Have you ever thought of that?!" The one eyed man stared back at the orange haired man incredulously. "The only we can shut them up about her is if we kill them and we can't kill those three yet; we're only here for information, not an assassination!"

"He he don't worry too much, you're starting to look like His Excellency Gwendal when you do that," Yozak winked at him. "I told you, I've got it all under control."

"That brings little comfort to me somehow…" the full Mazoku spy deadpanned.

"Hey have a little faith; how long have we been in on this job together?!"

"Long enough for me to know _not_ to have any faith in you."

"Hey!"

"Hush, Willaperht's taking her somewhere!"

"_What_?! Where?!"

Both spies watched the good looking dandy wrap a possessive arm around Kagome's waist and proceeded to take her up the stairs.

"Oh shit!"

Hube looked back at Yozak, alarmed at his reaction. "What? Why?"

"Erm…"

"You just cursed, Yozak, I don't like it when you curse; it usually means nothing good so why the hell would you curse?" Hube was getting nervous now.

The orange haired man's face was now very pale. "Willaperht was supposed to have his room placed _down_stairs not _up_!"

Hube punched the wall just beside Yozak's head, making a sizeable dent in it as he snarled at the terrified half Mazoku's face. "_What the hell does that mean_?!"

Yozak tried to stifle his concern for the female soukoku and fended off Hube's suddenly worried face with a calm mask. "We're going to have to go hunting and we're going to have to do it _now_. You can beat up on me later."

"Damn it!"

Both of them rushed towards the brothel through the dark alleyway and immediately sought to find the fastest way in.

Both Hube and Yozak felt the beginnings of panic crawl up their spines in worry for their charge not only because the girl in question was the sister of their Maou but because they were beginning to care about her personally. She had agreed to help them without question even though this was practically none of her business anyway and they would never forgive themselves if something unpleasant happened to her. As they rushed to follow her Yozak thought he now understood Yuuri's feelings for his sister.

After spending time with her on the road, no one could stand to lose someone so precious…

/****/

Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing was a proud Mazoku.

His demon noble status plus his roots coming from his von Spietzberg mother and von Roshvall father assured that. Like almost all demon nobility, he was raised to think that the world was theirs for the taking and nothing should stand in their way when they wanted something. He was also taught to despise humans and that Mazoku were above them. The thought of Mazoku even mating with humans disgusted his mother to no end up to the point that it had her nauseous just thinking about it. She had to have a bottle of salts set aside for her during her fifth cousin's on her mother's side Lady Cecile von Spietzberg's wedding to the human swordsman Dan Hiri Weller. He had listened to her jeer at the wedding of Geigen Hube Brischella and his human wife. She was among the first to rejoice when his Uncle Stoffel sent the Luttenberg Brigade out into the front lines to their deaths. She would smile at the Maou during social functions but would sneer at him in the privacy of their palaces, poking fun at the soukoku king's human mother.

Yes, almost as soon as he was weaned he had witnessed how terribly _wrong_ it was for humans and Mazoku to be together since they were not on the same level. That humans were filthy and wrong; always wrong; and that Mazoku were the creatures of higher intelligence.

So when Willaperht had discovered that he was quite intrigued and curious about humans, it disturbed and shocked him almost into madness. But, true to a man's nature, one can find the forbidden sinfully erotic…

Just as the woman in front of him was sinfully erotic to him…

Kagome listened to him tell her all this as she was taken to his room and she forced herself to keep her act up by smiling up at the noble Mazoku and ignored the way he was kneading her bottom in the most unpleasant ways. She wanted nothing more than to purify the bastard to next week even though some part of her pitied this man. In a way she understood him. She might not agree, but she understood him. Having to believe nothing else and being pulled into a whole different direction by reality would not have been easy and, if one has a weak will like Willaperht it would be so easy to sink into madness. If she had a mind as weak as this man's then she would have fallen into its pits a long, long time ago. She understood so she can forgive. But there was no way in hell she was going to fail her friends.

Yozak and Hube were depending on her. She can get her dues on this dandy later.

"We're here, my dove…"

Kagome 'reluctantly' let go of Willaperht's arm to slide into the now open door leading into one of the more expensive suites available in the large brothel. As soon as she was in it she had to gasp for real at the sight that met her.

It was as though every inch of the room was covered with various chests full of different colored Maseki! It looked as though she hit the mother load itself.

"Amazing…" she breathed as she walked closer to the stones, temporarily forgetting her 'client'. "There's so many…!"

With a fingertip, she gently brushed the rough surface of the stone nearest to her which was of a ruby red color and caught the light of the half a dozen scented candles littered in the room. Kagome completely ignored the gaudy, eccentric decorations and rather disturbing items littered around the room. She should report this to Yozak.

Her thoughts were interrupted when something cool was pressed gently against her collarbone. Willaperht had pressed a smooth, crimson colored Maseki there and it glowed against her skin like a large drop of blood. She could feel the cool crystal against her skin and something else. The pulse of magic was faint but there… Could it be…?

"As I thought," Willaperht whispered in his ear. "Red suits you the best…"

Kagome forced out another alluring smile and turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck and distracting the idiot with her body pressed against his. "I'm glad you think so, my lord, I am honored that you are showing all this to me. Are your friends also keeping such treasures in their rooms?"

"Oh no," he laughed, running his greedy hands over her naked shoulders and Kagome shivered in disgust at how cold they were. Willaperht must have mistaken the move for pleasure since he smirked at her and proceeded to run his hands further down her arms. "We do this by rotation. It just so happens that I'm the one in charge tonight."

_Which practically meant they put you on guard duty but you were too stupid to realize it_; Kagome thought wryly.

The raven haired miko fought the urge to fry the bastard to a crisp when he copped another feel on her but settled for giggling and coyly spinning around to get away from his arms and teasingly created some distance between the both of them by gliding behind a table with yet another chest filled with Maseki on it making a mental note to start with the pervert's hand. "That's so responsible of you, milord; to command such respect from your peers."

"Ah yes…" the Mazoku stared at her with a greedy leer, clearly delighted by the thought of a chase. He was clearly enjoying the game she was playing. "We've been partners in trade for decades now and I am head of their operations! Most of our successful ventures were produced by me. Those two would never be able to survive without me!"

_Right._

"Remarkable," she breathed instead, noting that he was edging closer to her so with another coy smile she whirled away behind yet another stack of chests filled with Maseki. She was beginning to guess the man deliberately exposed these stones here to entice his chosen bedmate for the night; how amazingly stupid. "I always have been attracted to the smart ones."

"You are soukoku, are you not?" Willaperht asked, again trying to edge closer to where she was. "How and why are you in human territory? You are Mazoku, after all."

Kagome sighed dramatically and proceeded to tell her 'tale'. "I was living on the small coastal towns on Karbelnikoff lands when a group of humans attacked our village and kidnapped me. Actually, since the village hated me because I am soukoku, they practically gave me away. I was then sold to slavery and had been passed from master to master ever since.

"However, ever since Yuuri-heika began to ally himself with humans, my masters became afraid of his wrath and set me free," she narrated, seeing the Mazoku stop and stare at her and she could see him believing every word she said. She could only hope she wasn't laying it on too thick. "From then on I have had to do my best to work for a living wherever I go. My dream is to someday return to Shin Makoku and maybe… Maybe return to my family someday."

"If you want I can take you back there, milady!" he offered with a smirk that told Kagome the imbecile thought she was falling for him already. "I, Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing, shall take it upon myself to get you back to our homeland and I will treat you like a queen!"

_Or a glorified sex toy._ "Really, milord? You are not just playing with my heart?"

"Of course not; I swear it by my honor as long as you are mine, nothing will touch you!"

Kagome was so unimpressed by the jackass that she couldn't produce the melodramatic tears she was planning so she merely turned and fluttered her lashes at him hopefully; thoroughly disgusted with herself. "Oh, milord, I am yours! When can we leave?!"

"As soon as I come back with my business partners from the Ruins of the kingdom of Ichri to deliver all this lovely Maseki I will come back for you, my heart! And then we will sail back to Shin Makoku together!"

There it was; that place again. She didn't know anything about the place but she'll take a shot at it and pray. "The Ruins of Ichri? What would anyone there want with so much Maseki? Are they trying to rebuild the city?"

Willaperht laughed at her patronizingly and finally 'caught' her again in his embrace and she let him. His answer may be important to Yozak and Hube and she was still under control of the situation. All she needed to do was remind herself that she was doing this for her friends. "Of course not, my dove!"

Kagome tilted her head to the side and pouted at him for extra effect. "Then how do you profit by trading such precious stones in the middle of nowhere?"

The aristocratic dandy's smirk was so wide Kagome thought he could swallow an elephant. "Let's just say we are doing a very special… project that can restore the world to its previous order. Now enough of this; come to bed, my dove. I am anxious to taste you."

_Oh I don't think so, mister…_

As Willaperht bent down to kiss her and she was acting as though she was going to allow him, Kagome allowed a small amount of her energy to appear as pin pricks on her index fingertip. She was getting ready to touch his nape with it which will, in turn, knock the idiot unconscious long enough for her to escape. But before she could do anything, the door to the room was suddenly kicked open violently, making Willaperht and her jump away from each other in surprise and turn towards the disturbance.

Kagome was expecting Hube or Yozak or both of them together barging in and coming to her rescue; not that she was depending on them that much; for the past four years after completing the jewel she's learned to take care of herself since she's had to what with her trying to get out of Inuyasha's and Kikyo's way. But still, to have people concerned enough about you that they would rush in to get to your side because you matter to them warmed her heart.

But that warm rush froze at the sight that met her at the threshold of the room...

His stance was as regal as she remembered; every inch of him bespoke a warrior who has been on battlefields for longer that she could even imagine or even a dark emperor ruling over his court, displaying his power for all to fear and see. His dark gray cloak was flung aside to expose his uniform and his broad sword glinting menacingly in the light of the candles in the room. The maryouko flaring off him was violent and murderous and bloodthirsty and it was enough to have Kagome frozen in place with the sheer wonder, terror and beauty of it.

Usually she could dispel this; she was not an ordinary priestess, after all; but what prevented her completely were his eyes… His Prussia blue eyes were leveled at Willaperht with such frosty, violent intent that she shivered. It reminded her of the times when she had met Sesshoumaru during her journey while she was alone and he was passing by. Those eyes meant death. A complete contrast to the lonely, determined blue orbs that stared at her with grim determination that first time he spoke to her. It was like meeting a stranger, a crazed stranger, for the very first time…

"L-Lord von Voltaire!" Willaperht exclaimed, his voice pitch hiking up because of fear. Kagome was surprised he wasn't soiling his pants yet. "W-what is the meaning of this?!"

The Mazoku lord merely responded by striding quickly towards the other Mazoku male who was clambering over to the wide bed in search of his own sword but he was so scared he fell to the floor, merely staring at his executioner in horror. Kagome was horrified that Gwendal seemed to really want to slice the Mazoku noble in two. She knew Willaperht probably deserved it but can't Gwendal see doing that would be a very big mistake?!

Gwendal looked like he was beyond thinking rationally, though. He looked dangerous and very, very angry. He got in between Willaperht and the bed and stared down the frozen noble with eyes that could have frozen an ocean. Willaperht was starting to babble incoherently and Kagome's eyes widened when Gwendal raised his sword to strike him down.

"No, _stop_!" she rushed to Gwendal and held on to one of his thick arms. "You can't kill him, that's murder!"

Gwendal turned his furious eyes on her and Kagome shivered at the rage she saw there but she held her ground as best as she could.

He sneered. "You care about him that much?"

"No, of course not!" she yelled back at him. "People _know_ I was with him! If you kill him now those people who are heading off that rebellion you were telling me about will blame his death on the humans and endanger the alliance! Can't you see that?!"

The Mazoku lord stopped and looked at her. For a moment, Kagome saw him _sneer_ at her before he shook her off, causing her to tumble over to the side but she relaxed when he merely knocked Willaperht out with the back of his sword. Very hard. He then lifted the unconscious Mazoku by the collar of his shirt and threw him across the room to hit the wall on the far side of it and watched as he slid down to the floor with probably a broken bone or two.

Kagome winced.

That was going to really, really hurt in the morning. Then she turned and glared back at the Mazoku lord. "What do you think you're _doing_?! Are you _crazy_?!"

Her question seemed to have stiffened his shoulders and she tried not to step back when he turned his eyes turned back to her. They weren't freezing anymore but the fury burning in them was no less frightening. "I should ask you the same thing, don't you think?"

"What?" she looked up at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?!"

"So is this the reason why you were so eager to leave Shin Makoku?" he asked her sarcastically. "Is this how you were going to prove Rolf's innocence?"

"Lord von Voltaire, what are you talking about I don't understand-"

"I'm talking about _this_!" he exploded and then he shocked her by grabbing her arm and roughly pulling her towards his hard body and she gasped when he ran a rough hand from her throat down to her barely covered chest and over her exposed belly. It was a far cry from the gentle hold he last laid on her the last time they parted. His eyes burned into her like soldering irons and she was hard pressed not to flinch. The accusation in them reminded her too much of Inuyasha's eyes whenever he looked at her back then... "What did you think you were trying to accomplish?! Is this the kind of life you wanted? Do you think to shame the Maou into returning you back to Earth?!"

Kagome tried to muster her courage to respond. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"You damn well _know_ what I'm talking about!"

"Actually I don't or I wouldn't be asking you this question!"

Kagome swallowed at the half crazed look in his eyes and tried to pull away from him but he merely tightened his grip on her arm until she winced. _That was going to bruise_. "How did you get here?! Did you give Yozak and Hube the slip?! Did you use your powers on them? Are they dead right now?!"

"_What_?! I would never- Look, whatever it is that you think I was doing is not—"

"You gave His Highness your _word_. Your _word_, damn you!" clearly he was beyond listening to her now. He looked pissed enough to chew nails. "You made me believe you were willing to sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of His Majesty and His Highness but here you are selling yourself among the humans like a prostitute!"

"What? Wait—Ah!"

He had thrown her over to the bed but before she could even bounce twice over it, he was already over her and Kagome found herself trapped under the hard length of his large body with no hope of escape aside from melting him off of her which, she knew, was not an option. She was too busy trying to understand why he was so mad and why he was acting this way because she couldn't understand why such a kind man would feel such violent wrath. She still believed in his kindness since, even as he touched her roughly she could sense he was holding back. His warmth reached out to comfort her cold skin from the cold air it has already been exposed to since the night had started.

"Were you thinking Willaperht could really help you?" he hissed at her fiercely. "Did he promise you the moon and the stars?! Did you think anyone else could help you get back to your infantile half demon?!" he laughed at her mockingly and Kagome was arrested from her thoughts by the rough grating sound of it. It sounded as though he hasn't used it in a long, long time and the sound alone sent pleasant goose bumps all over her skin. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but only your brother the Maou and Shinou can take you back to your world. Willaperht and his companions are nothing more than trash that doesn't even have _half_ the maryouko Elu has!"

Kagome could hear the hate every time he spoke Willaperht's name, his handsome face twisting into a malicious mask even as the heat in his beautiful blue eyes burned her.

"But maybe that wasn't what you wanted," Kagome's breath hitched when he ground his hips into hers and she could feel him all hard and wanting through the thin silks that made up the lower part of her costume. "Maybe you wanted _this_?"

She was starting to panic now and tried to struggle free. "No, you got it all wr—"

"Are you having second thoughts now?" he asked her, his voice hoarse and Kagome's eyes widened when he knelt over her and started taking off his great coat to expose a white dress shirt underneath and he ripped the buttons off it's collar to expose the smooth column of his manly neck and collarbone. The sight made Kagome blush wildly. "Maybe you just want to be able to replace the memory of your half demon lover with the touch of another man? A full demon perhaps?"

"Wait—"

"If that's so then I would gladly offer my assistance instead," his voice was now rougher than before and he was starting to eye her body with eyes that glowed with a different kind of heat entwined with the anger that burned there. "Do you want me to be rough? Or do you want me to be gentle, my lady…?"

"Stop it!" Kagome tried to squirm from underneath him, unknowingly increasing the friction between their bodies, not understanding the heat that pooled into her stomach at the low, sensual quality of his voice. "This is _not_ what I want! You don't even know _what_ I want!"

"And you think working as a high class whore will get you whatever it is that you want?!" he yelled back at her before running half mad eyes over the curve of her cheek down to the long, lovely column of her neck then lingered over her barely covered breasts with something akin to longing. "You are a fool."

Kagome was really scared of him now. He was staring at her the way those other men downstairs were staring at her earlier during and after the dance. Sure that was the whole idea of the dance, she wasn't _that_ ignorant; she just wasn't expecting anybody else to lose their control like this. And she certainly wasn't expecting it from Gwendal!

She tried to get angry and get the point across that she was serious about wanting out of the position he had cornered her in. "What I do in my life is _none_ of your business, Lord von Voltaire, now get _off_ me before I _fry_ you!"

His Prussia blue eyes turned back to her and rage and some other emotion sparked to life there again even wilder than before. "I see, so that's what you believe, isn't it? Then shall we test that theory? Let's see if I can bend that will and make it mine."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"If it keeps you from the clutches of other men then I'll make it a mission!"

The raven haired miko gasped when Gwendal slipped a hand behind her head and pulled her head back, exposing her neck and her wildly beating pulse to his hungry eyes. Her hands tried to push him away again but it was like moving a wall. Her eyes widened when she felt the tip of his tongue glide delicately over her pulse point before it was followed by a pair of warm, soft masculine lips.

"Unh!"

Kagome felt dizzy. That one touch made her instantly weak and she felt like butter melting into Gwendal's hands. Her breathing started to get labored and she could tell she was already flushed. She'd kissed Inuyasha several times before and on the _lips_! She even allowed Hojo to kiss her a year ago. But none of them made her feel like this. Like everything that was hot and tense was gathering inside her body until she felt she was going to explode with the sweet, sweet pain of it. And he wasn't even moving his lips anymore, it was just _there_. Savoring that fluttering pulse point as though utterly fascinated by it, his breathing just as ragged as hers.

If her head wasn't pulled back so far she would have seen Gwendal's eyes closed as well, disbelief and desire keeping him still. Not able to believe she could feel so good… Not even expecting she could taste so sweet...

She felt his free hand pulling at her skirt until his warm hand was gliding softly under her leg making the heat and tension multiply itself by a hundred until she was moving restlessly against him and, before she realized it, he'd pulled up her knee so she lay exposed to him in the most vulnerable way she had ever been with a man.

"Don't!" she breathed out even as her body moved against him in a way similar to how she was dancing earlier.

"Do you find this so disgusting?" she heard him ask against her neck roughly but with a curious tenderness that made her weaker. Kagome could feel every word he said vibrating through his chest still crushing her breasts and despite herself, the female soukoku felt her very being drawn to it in the most primitive way possible. "Too bad. But I assure you Willaperht would do so much more. He's known to be rough with his bedmates… You are better off exploring these things with me…"

And suddenly realization dawned on her. Her anger at him and her confusion dissolved into a kind of relief that melted her tension and brought touched tears in her eyes at the knowledge. Still quivering from the onslaught on her senses, she stilled him by gently; blindly running her right hand from pushing against the broad expanse of his chest up to his firm neck until she reached a hard chiseled cheek that she tugged slightly so she could look him in the eye, intrigued by the quivering breath he drew as she did so. When their eyes met she saw confusion there, overpowering the anger and that unexplainable heat that made his eyes half close. She wondered if he even realized he was leaning into her touch.

She looked him straight in the eye and tried to convey her sincerity and her feelings into her gaze even as a pair of tears escaped her and she gave him a small, trembling, reassuring smile.

"It's alright, Gwendal…" she whispered to him gently, her eyes looking into his own melting ones tenderly. "I'm fine."

His eyes widened and his face fell in surprise. He tried to fight her and she could see him gathering back his anger by looking away but she caught his face with her other hand trapping his gaze to look into hers and her thumbs stroked his cheekbones to calm him.

"I'm sorry I worried you, I didn't know you were going to be here," she continued to whisper to him, trying to convey her sincerity with her touch and words. "You think too much of everyone, even me. It's okay, you know? Yozak, Hube and I had this all planned, they wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. Thank you for coming to my rescue, though."

"R-rescue…?" he asked hoarsely, staring at her as though mesmerized by every nuance her face made.

"Uh huh," her smile became warmer, not even noticing how Gwendal practically melted at the sight. How he shivered against her at her touch. "I could have put him to sleep for a while with my powers but you bursting in like that?" she laughed. "Seeing him so terrified was enough revenge for fondling me earlier. Seriously, I have not met another man who loved to hear himself talk since Naraku."

"W-what…?" Gwendal shook his head in confusion as though trying to clear the fog from his brain. "I- I don't understand…"

"Look around you."

He did and she watched as his eyes widened the moment he noticed what was in the room. "Maseki…!"

"Yes," she told him softly and he looked back at her immediately. "I think we've caught part of your rebel faction, Gwendal."

His eyes widened and shame filled his cheeks with blood as he immediately scrambled off of her and backed away. "M-my Lady, I—"

"Jouchan!"

"Lady Kagome!"

She rose just in time to see Yozak and Hube barge into the room, swords drawn and panting, concern clearly mapped over their faces. Both of them stilled, however, when they saw Gwendal in the room. And they both started sweating cold bullets of dread when he pierced them with eyes that looked like they can burn them to the ground right where they stood.

"Explain." Gwendal's voice shot through the room like a whip and both men flinched and paled. Kagome winced, feeling sorry for them. "And this had better be good."

Kagome sighed as she rose from the bed and arranged her clothes. To be honest, although she felt sorry for her friends, she found herself relieved that the attention was off of her for a few more moments. She needed a few more minutes to gather her composure back together and to stand without her knees knocking against each other. Although she managed to get Gwendal back from that frightening haze of fury, she wasn't sure if she could easily get herself back to the reality where no one wanted her the way Inuyasha never wanted her. She needed to stop dreaming of the impossible and she needed to rest.

This had just been a very long night…


	12. Chapter 12

**A.N.**: I'm so sorry! I've been so busy I hardly had time to write so I'm making this chapter extra long along with a little gift at the end to make up for the slack ^^.

Happy Reading, you guys! ^^

**Chapter 12**

"Y-Your Excellency…!"

Hube had known his cousin since they were children studying swordsmanship or playing Hiding Shinou or even competing against each other during a Kotsuhizoku hunt. He had seen him happy, sad, irritated, angry (more so than any other emotion Gwendal displayed) and even afraid (courtesy of Annissina). So he knew just by looking into Gwendal's twitching eyes that his cousin was pissed enough for Hube to rightfully fear for his life. Beside him he felt Yozak agree. The Mazoku lord was, after all, his superior since he graduated from the academy. Gwendal was a fair leader and wise and very compassionate but he can also be a hard taskmaster. When worst came to worse he would go with the decision that will benefit everyone; even if that decision was hard to make.

But Gwendal's anger right now made them feel like it was the death of Suzanna Julia all over again.

However this time, Hube saw something different in his cousin's anger. A sort of regret and a kind of frustration that made him think there was a chance he and Yozak had a chance of being spared their impending deaths. A slight movement from behind the taller Mazoku made Hube break eye contact with the angry lord to see Kagome seemingly turned away from them, her head bowed and the lush curtain of her hair hiding her face from all to see.

Concern immediately overcame his terror and Hube started to step towards his charge. "My Lady, are you alright? Were you hur—"

"Don't. You. _Touch_. Her."

Gwendal's icy growl made Hube stop dead in his tracks and again he found himself looking into furious Prussia blue eyes a shade darker than his. He knew better than to defy the lord when he growled like this but his terror was tempered by curiosity when he noticed how his taller cousin's complexion alternated from flushing and paling and his broad chest seemed to be heaving as though he had just run a good mile at top speed. His eye widened in concern as he contemplated at the reason the von Voltaire lord was acting this way.

Yozak, fortunately, attempted to diffuse the situation.

"L-Lord Gwendal!" Yozak began to laugh nervously, discreetly elbowing a frozen Hube as a sign for him to think of something to get them out of this mess. "Did this mean that you got my letter? Wow that pigeon was fast…"

Gwendal's eye gave a noticeable twitch. "What letter?"

"Eh he he… the one that told you to come look at the suspicious Maseki being smuggled into human territory, of course." Yozak apprehensively stated.

"The only letter I received was from Master Mishna Hrysto Cryff telling me about a group of lesser nobles hauling trade goods and a suspicious amount of Maseki without bothering to sell them."

"Oh. Ha. Well, guess we kinda stumbled on the very same thing then! What a small world." Yozak laughed in agitation as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Please explain to me," and this time; Gwendal cut his eyes over to his stiff cousin, effectively silencing the orange haired spy. "What you are doing inside a damn _brothel_ and allowing your charge to escape you like that and turn out like... like... _this_?"

"W-well, Your Excellency, it's like this," Yozak swallowed hard before launching into an explanation. "W-we needed the information from them because when we ran into the info that these guys were smuggling Maseki suspiciously into the country, we suspected they had something to do with the rebellion. Since we're chasing down young von Grantz we thought it would be easier to track him down without exhausting much of My Lady's powers. However I couldn't get in to get the info so I asked jouchan to sneak in and get… it… for… us…?"

Hube knew Yozak was not stupid by any stretch of the imagination but he had to admit that he had moments when he would readily shove his foot into his mouth like this. Good thing the cross dressing spy noticed that Gwendal was not very happy at how they were going about things.

"You mean to tell me," Gwendal started to growl quietly, his face paling as he spoke and he looked like he was about to be sick. "That you were making your charge _do_ your work _for_ you?"

"W-well—"

"Your Excellency, with all due respect," Hube finally cut in, his survival instincts finally coming to the fore and saving his friend and fellow spy from digging both of their untimely graves. "I think we should finish up here before we explain everything to you. Lady Kagome will take you to the inn we are currently staying at."

"Hube—"

"He's right, we need to leave," Hube noted how Gwendal stilled as though he had just heard Annissina call out for him the moment Kagome spoke. Looking behind his lord he saw how the girl still refused to look back at them but at least her head was held up now. "People will start getting suspicious."

Yozak took full advantage of it. "Right you are, jouchan!"

Hube smiled warmly and bowed to her. "Forgive us for being late, my lady. We were a little… lost."

"Yeah, ehe he he…" Yozak scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "About that, jouchan…"

"It's alright, I'm fine," she reassured them with a warm smile of her own. "Lord von Voltaire was here to save me just in time."

Both of them swallowed and looked back at the taller man, expecting a shield piercing glare from him only to blink at the odd stare he was directing at the young woman. It rather looked as though he was struggling with himself somehow from the looks of it. Hube in particular, was a bit more alarmed at this but Yozak seemed a different matter all together.

"Ah! As expected from His Excellency Gwendal!" Yozak cried out in cheerful joy and relief. "That means I don't have to worry anymore!"

"But what do we do?" the one eyed man asked, still unhappy with the way things had gone and deciding to ignore these hallucinations he was having about his cousin. Because there was just no possible way Gwendal was… No; absolutely not. "They would be able to identify Her Ladyship if they ever went to court. How can we possibly fix this?"

"I told you I've got that part covered!" Yozak piped up holding some sort of perfume bottle with a deep pink liquid inside. "I can make him and the others _think_ that last night was all just a wonderful dream with _this_."

The cousins frowned at him and stared at the small container in his hand skeptically while Kagome blinked curiously at it.

"What is that? You didn't tell me anything about this." Hube scowled at his partner.

"Is it perfume?" Kagome wondered.

"Is it poison?" Gwendal asked looking like he was half hoping it was.

"It's one of Lady Annissina's inventions! You-Will-Forget-Me-In-The-Morning-kun!" Yozak presented with a flourish. "I've been using it for a while and it's quite effective. You just spray it on them and then they'll fall asleep and have no recollection of whatever's happened to them in the morning!"

Hube looked at his cousin with pity. "Has she tested that on you?"

Gwendal paled. "I'm... not... sure..."

Yozak laughed. "His Excellency wasn't available at the time so the poor guinea pig was Dorcas."

"Oh." Hube raised a brow at that while Gwendal struggled with his relief. "I hope you haven't been using that on me lately."

Yozak smirked at him and winked cheekily. "Felt any inexplicable back pains recently, Hube-_chan_?"

Hube's eyes bugged out before paling in abject horror while his hand trembled towards his sword. "Yozak…!"

"I'm _kidding_, I'm _kidding_! _Sheesh_…"

"I'm not really that concerned about meeting them again," Kagome shrugged as she struggled with her smile for Hube's sake. "But still that's brilliant, Yozak! This way we can still get the element of surprise on them. As long as they think the Maou's men are still clueless about them and what they're up to then they'll just carry on as they are. But we need to make it seem as though nothing strange happened last night. Ah, I know! This'll probably help."

This time, even Gwendal turned to watch her walk gracefully towards one of the chests and picked up a small piece of blue Maseki before turning to Willaperht and then knelt down beside him and held out her hand with the Maseki over the lesser noble, the pink aura swirling around her and seemingly channeling itself through the blue stone in her hand. Hube was still and tense, afraid that the Mazoku noble would wake up all of a sudden and harm her but he was distracted by the sudden stiffening of his cousin's body next to him. Looking up into his face, Hube noted with shock how barely held fury crept into the dark haired man's face as he watched Kagome touch Willaperht and glow.

Was it just him or was his cousin glaring at their young lady with something akin to possessiveness?

"What. Do. You. _Think_. You're. _Doing_?" Gwendal growled in a way that would have made a hardened infantry soldier piss in his pants.

Hube and Yozak both blinked up and started edging away from the obviously angry lord.

Kagome merely kept on with whatever she was doing, looking too focused in her task to understand the danger she was subjecting herself to. She was just kneeling there with a serene look on her face as she answered back. "I'm healing him."

"You can let the bastard die!"

Another uncharacteristic comment from his cousin. Usually Gwendal did not say such things even if he was feeling them.

"No, she's right," Yozak stepped forward in front of Gwendal and Hube wondered whether his friend was just brave; or really, _really_ stupid. But the seriousness on his usually mischievous face made the one eyed spy think and wait. "Leaving him in his present condition might get others suspicious. Willaperht and his friends may be morons but there is no telling smarter members of their faction won't notice the sudden injuries that they could not explain the cause of and ultimately catch on to what's going on. There's bound to be a fair number of them if they've managed to elude us this whole time."

Gwendal visibly gritted his teeth. "If you want him to forget you then you should just bash him in the head until he can no longer remember your face."

Hube sweatdropped. "Don't you think that's a little…?"

"It's interesting how you and bouchan can use your powers so deep in human territory." Yozak muttered as he watched her work, ignoring Gwendal and Hube, fascinated by the beauty emitted by the light and by the power it was harnessing like a soothing wind around her.

"Well I was born human," Kagome chuckled. "I guess that's the reason why I can use my powers here although I'm still pretty unsure as to what extent I can use my powers here in human land and in Shin Makoku. Either way it's useful."

"I'll say; aren't you supposed to turn him to ash with your powers if you use it on him like that?" Yozak raised his brows as he watched the pink glow from Kagome's hand flow over Willaperht's body curiously, making sure he was at a safe distance, slightly fearing what that strange tingling sensation emanating from her would do to him if he got too close. "That _is_ your special talent, right?"

"Don't worry," she threw the large Mazoku a reassuring smile. "I've discovered something interesting earlier."

"Oh?" Yozak raised a brow at this, waiting for her answer.

Her smile could have melted ice caps; it was warm and playful with a hint of mischief as she turned the hand she was using to heal Willaperht over a little and in it they clearly saw the small piece of blue Maseki. "When Willaperht touched me with it a while ago I felt a familiar power in it and I knew that whatever was in there would be compatible with my powers. It was so faint it was hardly noticeable but I can sense it was benign. I have a particular sensitivity to things that have magic. I've only thought about testing it now to see if my theories were right and if I can convert the harm my powers can do to Mazoku and give it a positive effect using the magic inside the Maseki as a filter of sorts. My teacher from Sengoku Jidai, Kaede told me this was possible but I've never really found a way to do it. When I touched this Maseki, though, I knew I shouldn't doubt it. Amazing isn't it? Now I can use my powers to heal you guys if anyone gets injured without harming you."

Hube blinked in awe. "That's true… You are well versed in magic, my lady."

Kagome laughed and the men in the room felt their tension and the cold feeling of urgency one usually felt in such situations melt at the soothing sound of it. "Believe me; it took a lot of training before I got here. It's just a matter of growing up, I guess."

"Well I was just making sure," Yozak smirked at her, trusting her and walking closer to inspect Willaperht for himself. "I mean, I'm all for hiding the body and all that but it would not do to be too suspicious."

The pink light surrounding the girl then slowly faded until it disappeared leaving a lingering touch in the air in the form of a scent that all the men in the room had quickly associated with the girl in front of them.

The scent of lily of the valleys…

"There, all done." She breathed out as she stood back on her feet again. "You should put him on the bed, Yozak; it won't raise a lot of suspicions that way."

Both spies looked up at Kagome warmly but Hube sucked in a breath when he saw his cousin again staring at the young lady as well. It shouldn't be a shocker since Gwendal would need all the distractions he could get after hearing Annisina's name earlier; it wasn't the first time it happened, after all. What startled him was the way his taller cousin was looking _at_ the girl. Because he was looking at her the way a thirsty man would stare at a tall drink of cool wine but was not allowed to have any.

It sucked the air right out of the one eyed man's lungs as an uncomfortable suspicion formed in his mind even as he tried to shrug it away.

"You better get back to the inn with His Excellency, jouchan; you did great." Yozak cut in again with his excellent sense of timing, already dragging Willaperht's body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes after giving him the once over one more time just to make sure everything was in place. "Thanks for doing this; we owe you one."

"We will make sure to spread the word that you are a fake soukoku so even the owner will not reveal it to them; they know their reputation will be at stake if they were accused of pulling such trickery towards such important guests." Hube reassured her.

"That's a great idea but are you sure you want me to leave? Do you need me to help with anything else?" she looked up at them sincerely. "Maybe get Gautier or Reynaud up here to—"

"NO!"

"Absolutely not!"

"_I forbid it_!"

Kagome was taken aback at the loud and fierce protests coming from the three men before she blinked and smiled at them a bit uncertainly now. "O-okay then, I'll leave it to you guys. Be safe."

Yozak ruffled her hair fondly while Hube bowed to her in respect before she flashed them both a warm smile and headed for the door.

Gwendal stooped down to gather his coat and cloak before glaring at the pair of flinching spies from over Kagome's head. "We'll finish this later."

Hube nodded to him respectfully but then surprised him with a firm look of his own. "Please make sure that the Lady Kagome is safe."

The Mazoku lord blinked amidst his frown before his forehead knotted again and he gave his cousin a brief nod before following the girl out of the door. They watched as he caught the young woman softly by the arm before wrapping his gray cloak around her as though he were covering a baby in swaddling clothes. Kagome looked up at him and smiled gratefully before walking on ahead of the tall Mazoku and Gwendal followed. As soon as he left, Yozak let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Phew, I thought that was the end of me." The orange haired spy wiped at his forehead with a forearm. "I seriously thought I was dead. Good thinking, Hube, you're a lifesaver."

"No problem." Hube responded quietly before walking towards Willaperht's unconscious form on the bed where Yozak dumped him and started the distasteful chore of ridding the man of his clothes.

But his cousin's face kept bothering him until he had to speak out. "Hey, Yozak."

"Hn?"

"Did you notice something… different about His Excellency before he left?"

Yozak blinked then turned to his partner in crime with raised brows. "Well he wasn't happy, that much I could tell."

"No, no, not that!" Hube frowned, remembering the way the tall, dark Mazoku's eyes changed ever so subtly every time he so much as looked at their young lady's way. It reminded him of the way Gwendal would regard anything cute and soft with something so disturbingly close to… want? But with a whole lot of bitterness involved. No, it was impossible. "Nothing. Why don't you leave me with this one while you deal with the other two downstairs after you spray him with that thing Annisina invented? It'll save us time."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"We'll meet outside as soon as we're done then go back to the inn."

"Agreed."

/****/

The trek to the inn was held in complete silence what with Kagome intent on getting them there as fast and cautiously as possible and Gwendal draped in utter stoicism. The crunching of the cobbled streets of Cabalcade's lower districts darkened by the night with only the half moon to guide them as they walked over them was the only sound that could be heard as they made their way to safety although the Mazoku's hand remained on alert at the sword at his side, determined to keep Kagome safe by any means necessary. He kept an eye out for her through his silence.

Gwendal was usually a man of few words even though he was aware of exactly what to do and knew exactly what to say. Every single move he made had a purpose and every single fact beheld a plethora of layers unfolding a plan that would ultimately give him what he wanted. Never would anyone think he would say nothing because he had no idea what to say; neither did he, for that matter. Until now…

He watched silently as Kagome led him out of the brothel effortlessly, obviously having studied the lay out of the building in case she needed to escape. Wrapped in his gray cloak she looked small and diminutive next to him who towered over her both horizontally and vertically. Seeing her engulfed in his clothing made him giddy with a wild rush of possessiveness that made him catch his breath and made him almost lose his mind…! Again.

He gritted his teeth against the emotions of guilt that threaded through the heady feeling, filling him with remorse for what he did to her. He tried telling himself that he was justified with what he did back there, that he knew exactly what he was doing! All he was planning to do was scare her. To make her understand that death was the least of her worries if she chose the path he thought she was choosing. All he planned to do was cut Willaperht in two before getting her on the bed and hovering over her until she understood that she was being foolish and that she should never do it again.

But he miscalculated. He wasn't sure what happened but the moment he entered that room and saw her clothed as she was and seeing Willaperht's hands all over he just lost his sanity and all he could really think about was touching her. Tasting her. Being able to get his hands and his mouth on everything she was offering the bastard! And when he did it was heaven…

He had committed an unforgivable crime.

And yet all she did was smile up at him and tried to reassure _him_ that she was aright!

Shinou he felt like a bastard himself. No, he was even lower than a bastard! If she had not done what she did and made him see reason he would have…

"We're here."

Her voice awakened him from his melancholy and he looked up at a modest looking inn that seemed to be settled near the docks farthest from the town itself. He hadn't even noticed what roads they took.

"Let's go in and let me get changed first; and then we'll talk." She told him softly from underneath his hood before entering the inn with him in tow and heading straight for the rooms upstairs.

What he saw of the place and the rooms made him frown. Although the establishment looked comfortable and cozy enough he didn't think it was appropriate for a woman of her station to be staying here. His eyes widened at the sight of three beds in the room and the niggling suspicion made him grit his teeth in fury.

"_This_ is where you are staying?" he demanded, still staring at the room with distaste and glaring at the sleeping arrangements.

"Yes, it's pretty good, isn't it?" he heard her call from behind the changing screen. "It's got three beds and it's wide enough for us not to bump into each other; it's even got it's own bathroom! This way we didn't need to be separated. Yozak is quite clever."

"I suppose he is but this is extremely inappropriate," he declared severely, trying to ignore the hypocrisy of his statement. It was easier when he didn't have to look her in the eye. "This is not a place worthy of your station."

"Oh come off it, Lord von Voltaire, it's not like I'm a visiting dignitary here, I'm on a mission!" she called back, seemingly exasperated. He could picture her rolling her eyes at him as she spoke. "You're a general so you've had military training, right? So you should understand more than anybody else the necessity of this kind of set up."

"You are the Maou's sister; you are practically his regent." he stubbornly insisted, privately wondering why he was pursuing this subject like a rabid dog, still eyeing the beds as though he wanted them to burn into ashes. He almost reminded himself of Gunter at his prissiest. "You should travel and behave according to what is appropriate for your station. They should at least have acquired a separate room for you."

"Oh can it, will you?" she sighed tiredly, sounding a lot nearer and making Gwendal turn and face her. "Yozak is doing a very good job keeping us on a low profile. Seriously, you and Hube are totally related; you guys even _sound_ like each other."

Gwendal couldn't answer even if he tried. He didn't know what he was expecting her to wear after she took off that (indecent) dress but it was certainly not the raiment she was sporting now. A loose peasant shirt, pants and a belt.

He was livid. "_Boy's clothes_?"

She grinned up at him, looking lovingly back at her clothes. "Awesome, isn't it? Dorcas told me it was a cast off from Conrad when he was a boy. Although I have to admit, he must have been really tall for a ten year old when he started wearing this."

Unexplainable fury caught the dark haired Mazoku in a stranglehold at the jealousy that seemed to explode into his very being at the thought of her skin wearing anything related to Conrart. He remembered the day when he took her to meet Greta and how easy it was for her to smile at his younger brother and how Conrart leaned into her just a little too closely… Damn it, that meant his brother knew how she smelled like!

Gwendal turned away from her and gripped the window sill tightly until his knuckles were white in an attempt to control himself again before he did and said something stupid. Like order her to take her clothes off…

Shinou-heika what is happening to him...? He didn't understand any of this!

So what if Conrart and Kagome became interested in each other? Wouldn't that be for the best? The Maou would be able to distract her attention away from that hanyou who had thrown her heart back to her face and his family's connections to the Maou would strengthen even more at the added connection. It was the perfect political move; something he would not have hesitated to take advantage of usually. It was the reason why he did not protest when Wolfram and the Maou became engaged. Besides that, Conrart had gone through his own share of hardship and he deserved a little happiness. Kagome would just be the person who can give him that...

But the thought of her and Conrart touching… hugging… _kissing_! Shinou it felt like his gut was on fire. The thought that his brother would know what she tasted like was… _unbearable_.

"Please don't be too harsh on them."

Gwendal stiffened at her gentle voice, gritting his teeth against the memory of that same voice whispering gently to him back in that room with Willaperht lying unconscious a few feet from them and him hovering over his prize like a hungry wild animal…

He refused to face her. He wouldn't. He _couldn't_. There was no telling what he would do if he looked at her now. It was not that he had never felt insecurity before but he had never been in this kind of situation either. What he had been uncertain about earlier in his life were all dissolved by experience and practice but this… Shinou he didn't even have a _name_ for this. And like all beings on this Earth, he feared the unknown.

"It's alright, I wanted to help."

Still Gwendal stubbornly focused his tortured blue eyes on the horizon where the sun had yet to make its appearance.

He then heard her sigh heavily. "Are you mad because I worried you? I'm sorry, I really am. If you're worried about what Yuu-chan would say then we can just keep it a secret."

Still he remained silent. He wanted the earth to open and swallow him whole even as he yearned to hear her voice again.

He heard her sigh tiredly this time. "I wish you'd talk to me. It's hard talking to a brick wall. I know you're mad at me but you should at least have the courtesy to look at me when I'm talking to you. What can I say for you to forgive me, anyway? I already said I was sorry!"

That finally had him turning incredulous eyes at her. And as he looked into her bright, midnight black eyes he felt like he was drowning. His heartbeat quickened and his hands shook and all he wanted was to hold her close and let her save him from the fall. "Why?"

Kagome looked up at him, surprised. He was a large silhouette against the window since she hadn't lit a candle yet but she could hear his voice and there was a kind of deeply suppressed agony there that touched her naturally good natured heart and her exasperated mood softened for him. "Why what?"

"Why…" Gwendal was breathless and, for a moment, words failed him and he actually had to gesture with his arm towards her in a bid to buy him some time to construct the right words. "Why do you do this?"

"Do what?"

"_This_!" he almost yelled at her, gesturing between himself and her. "Why do you make _excuses_ for me?"

Kagome's eyes widened in confusion. "What excuses?"

The expression on her face was so clueless that he finally exploded. "I used you! I practically forced you to make an appearance for the Maou's benefit in front of complete strangers even though you didn't want to! I used you to satisfy Greta again not more than a week later! I snub you, I criticize you! Hell, I have done everything except outright insult you and earlier…" here, his voice almost faded. "I made you fear for your virtue because I was stupid enough to jump to my own conclusions! I even _hurt_ you!" he glanced at the bruising upper arm he hadn't even remembered he had gripped earlier now sporting a rather uncomfortable looking bruise that he was sure would fit the size of his hand with no little remorse. He wanted nothing more than to touch her and take away the pain. "How can you still talk to me as though everything I've ever done was of no consequence?"

Kagome stood there, surprised at this apparent emotional breakdown. This must have been bothering him for a long time if he felt so strongly about it and she immediately felt guilty. She met his beautiful, cold blue eyes and knew, even though she couldn't really see them that they were filled confusion and remorse and frustration. She could sense it flowing from his very pores.

She felt like she owed him an explanation. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

Gwendal clenched his fists but years of his honed self discipline held him back and he forced himself to relax before starting to turn back to the window.

Her voice and words stopped him mid turn. "I like you."

Gwendal turned back to her in shock, his eyes wide and his heart beating a mile a second. For a moment the tightening in his gut eased and his heart buoyed with a feeling that seemed frighteningly close to hope although he wasn't exactly sure what he was hoping for in the first place and his breath caught in his throat. All he knew was that it all had something to do with _her_. And again he could not understand how such three simple words could mean so much to him. Words that he had never heard directed at him before.

She smiled at him a little wryly before walking around him and placing herself in front of the window in his place and he stared at her silhouette framed against the night sky. "The first time I saw you I was extremely pissed off and I was particularly stubborn about it. I didn't want to be here and I have been more than independent from my biological family in more ways than to allow myself to be forced into a situation not of my choosing. When you talked to me that day I was prepared to resist with all my power but when I looked into your eyes your intent became very clear to me…

"You weren't making me go and face the other nobles out of spite; you weren't even doing it for your _king_! Your concern was about how my stubbornness would affect the entire country and I was… moved at such selfless thoughts." Kagome sighed and looked up to see Gwendal's surprised face. "Even when you came to take me to Greta on Yuuri's request I saw you weren't doing it for yourself or for the king; you were doing it for that adorable little girl hoping for a family out of me.

"When we spoke about Rolf and how you tried to stop me from coming with Yozak and Hube, even you couldn't stop your worry for me despite the fact that you had no reason to do that. You owe me no loyalty or obligation aside from being under the care of the Maou. Before I left I knew I had to thank you even with just mere words." She ran her fingers through her loose, raven black hair with a wry smile. "It was then I thought, if this man can care for a nobody like me then how would he take care of the people who matters to him the most? People like Yuu-chan?

"I like you," she repeated the words again, making his heart skip a beat. "I like your strength; your courage; your ability to sacrifice your pure heart in order to protect the people you love and I just... like you for it.

"Again I'm really sorry for the misunderstanding, it was not my intent to make you uncomfortable," she winced again and gave him a slight bow. "Please understand, Lord von Voltaire that I have nothing but admiration and respect for you. And if you need anything from me that will help you then you are more than welcome to ask. You have a loyal ally in me; it's the least that I can do for your past kindnesses."

Gwendal felt… deflated somehow although surprised at the light in which she viewed him. Although a proud Mazoku, he did not make it a point to count what was so wonderful about himself like Wolfram. He was just… Gwendal. Still her speech were not the words he wanted to hear and to hide his disappointment, he presented her his well known stoic facade. "Is that so? Even though I tried to violate you back there without even considering your situation?"

She surprised him by laughing. "Oh I knew you wouldn't do _that_."

Gwendal frowned at that. Did she really believe he would not have done her harm? Did she relegate him on a level of a saint and saw him as someone who would not even have an ordinary man's needs? Somehow, the thought displeased him. "I fail to see what was so amusing about that."

"Oh come on, Lord von Voltaire, I'm just a nobody," she said with complete and utter exasperation. "I'm not that smart, not that pretty and I'm pretty much a loser in the romance department. No one would want me so why should you?"

The first thing that passed into the Mazoku lord's mind was '_Was she serious_?'. And then when he saw the humor in her eyes it turned into, '_Shinou she is_!'. Finally his incredulity made way for such unreasonable fury. "Are you insane?"

Kagome jumped back at the half yell he was directing at her and he suddenly reminded her of his reaction back at the brothel before he threw her on the bed. "Eh?"

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? How pure you smell? How soft your skin is?" Gwendal continued in a breathless hiss now, a couple of strides taking him in front of her until Kagome had to tilt her head back to look into his passionate blue eyes and his voice lowered an octave or two further making his gravelly baritone seem... sensual. "I don't know if you've noticed but every man in that place was salivating over you! Do you want me to tell you what they all had in mind as they watched you dance tonight? All of them were ravishing you in their beds! How can you stand there and talk like you don't know how much you can drive a man to his _knees_ just from a smile on your face?"

Kagome couldn't stop herself from blushing, afraid she'd experience that heated, melting feeling again if Gwendal so much as touched her right now and she was secretly afraid of it. Because the only other person who had made her feel close to this was Inuyasha. "B-but Inuyasha said—"

"Then you can consider him fortunate that he cannot follow you here, my lady," he cut her off, his arms trapping her between his wide body and the window by gripping the sills on either side of her waist. "Because if I ever see him I will make sure to pull out his tongue, cut it with a butter knife and throw it in the stable so my horses could trample all over it!"

Gwendal stared into her eyes for what he felt was the longest time, drowning in the pools of a starless black midnight mirroring her incredulity and again his anger melted into nothing. And despite his infamous self control he couldn't help how his lips started to lower down to her face like a lodestone being irresistibly drawn to magnetic north…

Until a knock on the door forced him apart from her.

Much to his relief.

Or so he told himself.

"Oi, we're back!" came Yozak's ridiculously cheerful voice.

Gwendal wanted to strangle him.

Hube followed behind him and shut the door and then bowed to Kagome and Gwendal. The questioning look his cousin gave him made Gwendal studiously avoid his gaze. H e knew was not acting like himself and he had no doubt his favorite cousin already noticed, unfortunately he didn't want to talk about it. Not now, not _ever_.

Not when he didn't even know what was happening to him...

"Idiots are sleeping like babies and the ladies even agreed to pretend they've rendered services tonight so they can get paid." Yozak laughed as he leaned against a nearby wall. "I'm pretty sure they'll pay them since those three would love to think they were able to handle those many ladies in a night."

"My Lady," Hube addressed Kagome respectfully. "What did you find out?"

Kagome nodded and started. "He said they were taking the stones to the Ruins of Ichri and said something about making the world go back to the way you knew it or something. I don't get it either but he seemed pretty happy about it. He's talking like whatever they were doing there was the culmination of all their actions. It's kinda creepy. "

"Ichri?" Yozak frowned along with the other men in the room. "Deep into human territory? That's insane! How would Maseki work in a place like that?"

"And Ichri's been abandoned for three years now, almost as long as Zorashiya; what could probably be interesting there?" Yozak rattled his brain in thought.

"Well if it's all abandoned and stuff then maybe it served as a good hideout," Kagome shrugged. "No one's gonna disturb them there."

Gwendal's forehead knotted as he thought about the possibilities. Although he couldn't understand what this was all about he still couldn't help but think that this was anything but good. "I'll send out an inquiry to Gunter, maybe he can find whatever it is that's so special about Ichri and I'll personally head the investigation. Did he say anything about the dagger?"

Kagome shook his head. "No he didn't. But I can feel it, though. The weight is different from the energy around here. It's dragging me northeast from here."

Gwendal stiffened at the announcement and a quick look told him both Yozak and Hube caught it as well.

Hube broke the silence. "Ichri is in that direction."

"So that confirms it," Yozak said grimly. "Rolf _is_ a part of the rebellion."

Kagome's face suddenly hardened at that. "That doesn't confirm _anything_. It just tells us where the dagger is."

"But you said that Rolf would be wherever the dagger is, jouchan," Yozak told her with a smirk that usually meant he was testing someone. Hube shot him a short glare. "So if the dagger is in Ichri then—"

"It doesn't mean Lord von Grantz will be there as well," she frowned back at him. "I will believe it with my own eyes if I see it. And since I brought that dagger here in this world then it's my responsibility to find what they are using it for and retrieve it. So we're going to Ichri."

Yozak's grin could have broken some kind of record with how wide it was. Gwendal thought it should already have broken his face. "Well then, guys, you heard the lady. To Ichri it is!"

Hube nodded, smiling softly while Gwendal glanced at Kagome for a moment before surprising them by speaking. "Yozak."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

"Fetch my horse at the stables, he should be in Master Mishna Hrysto Cryff's manor and keep him wherever it is you are keeping your horses," Gwendal ordered the blinking spy. "Have Hrysto Cryff secure provisions for the journey fit for four people as well while you're at it. Come back here as soon as you're done. Make sure you're not followed."

"Y-Your Excellency!" Hube stepped forward, brows raised. "You're coming with us?"

The taller Mazoku faced him down. "Rolf is my responsibility as well as the rebellion factions endangering our king. I am going to the root of this problem once and for all."

"Y-yes, Your Excellency." both spies bowed to him.

"Are you sure, Gwendal?" Kagome asked him, a bit worried and the force of her concern made him giddy. "What about the castle?"

"The castle is in good hands," he scowled at her, trying to hide how hard he was swallowing as he continued to avoid her gaze lest he do something stupid again. Like staring at her for an endless eternity. "This is my top priority for now; I cannot let them have their way disturbing the Maou's reign any longer."

He expected her to argue with him and stubbornly tell him they didn't need his help. He knew Annissina would if she were here, thinking he was offending all her independent feminine sensibilities and he braced himself for the onslaught. But she surprised him yet again by nodding and clear admiration shone in her eyes beneath the pale moonlight.

Again the same familiar feeling of hopelessness engulfed the Mazoku general and he prayed to Shinou it would pass... He didn't know if he cousl survive this...

/****/

"Murata! Oi, Murata!"

Ken looked up from the old archives he was poring into, making sure he slammed a large, thick book over them the moment his door opened to reveal the Maou himself. It would not do for Yuuri to find out that he was researching about the project he cooked up a long time ago as the Great Sage. A project that led to the birth of the Shikon no Tama.

"Hey, Shibuya, how can I help you?" he greeted his friend with his usual warm smile. He could faintly hear Shinou snort from somewhere behind him which inadvertently made his eye twitch in irritation.

Ways on how he could dye the blond Original King's hair blue flitted into his mind...

"Murata!" Yuuri panted as he leaned against the chair nearest to him looking like he's run all the way from the palace. "Help...(pant)me...(pant)!"

Ken blinked at the young Maou, both brows raised. "With what, Shibuya? Is it homework? Didn't Kagome tell you, you were supposed to do that on your own this time?"

"It's not about that!" Yuuri yelled at the bespectacled soukoku, blushing.

"Eh?"

"Well," and here the demon king flopped onto a nearby chair. "It's about Kagome."

At the name, Ken immediately stiffened and did everything he could not to look guilty. "W-what about Kagome?"

"I... I want to make up with her..." Yuuri said, despondently.

Only then did the former Great Sage found the strength to breathe again. "Why? Are you sending her home now?"

"No, of course not!" Yuuri blurted but caught himself, realizing what he was saying and deflated. "I mean, not yet... I don't think it's right for her to go back yet..."

Ken had to sigh and sat back into his chair right beside his friend. "You're not making this easy."

"Come on, Murata! It's _Kagome_!" Yuuri whined. "Even if I keep her here she'll forgive me instantly if I find her something to make up for it!"

The bespectacled young man sweatdropped. That was true enough. "Then what do you have in mind?"

"I'm not sure..." Yuuri bit his lip thoughtfully for few minutes and both of them sat there in silence until Yuuri stood up with a determined look on his face. "Come on, Murata!"

Ken blinked up at Yuuri surprise, the other young man's unpredictability catching him off guard. "Come where?"

"Back to Earth!" Yuuri grinned at him. "I've got the perfect idea to make up with her but I'll need to go to Aunt Aki's place for it. Come with me."

Ken sighed in exasperation but stood up and followed the Maou. "To be honest, Shibuya, you and your sister worry me; you truly do."

Yuuri's laughter rang through the halls in response to the Great Sage's comment, Yuuri feeling a lot better than he did since coming back to Shin Makoku with his twin sister. It made Ken smile before worry etched down his brow.

'Come back soon, Kagome,' he prayed. 'I don't think Yuuri's going to let you ignore him for much longer and I certainly don't want to die yet...'

/****/

Shippou looked down into the well, sobbing softly even as Kirara sought to comfort him by running her soft tails over his face to dry his cheeks. In his hand he clutched the subjugation beads that Inuyasha had thrown away the night before, the tears Kirara had been unable to dry away falling into the darkness of the well and disappearing into nothingness.

"Mama..." the little kit cried as he hugged the beads tighter. "I want to see my Mama..."

"Mew..." Kirara mewled softly.

He started to rock his body to and fro to comfort himself, thinking about how Kagome would rock him to sleep every night and how she'd hug him and let him sleep with her. Suddenly, an unexpected incident happened. A sudden gust of wind pushed him a bit as he rocked forward. Kirara tried to hold onto him but the fire cat was unable to transform and her claws caught into the kit's shirt.

"Wha? Whoaaa!"

Shippou's shout and Kirara's mewls echoed through the confines of the well until it disappeared.

And, as though it were the hand of fate, the wind whistled through the trees making the branches wave as though bidding farewell to the fox kit and the fire cat....


	13. Chapter 13

A.N.: Alright, you guys, you win… Starting this chapter I'll be raising the rating to M; I hope I won't disappoint so…

Happy Reading! ^^v

**Chapter 13**

"Heika? HEIKA?"

The servants and soldiers around Gunter have learned to ignore him by now as he raced dramatically all throughout the castle looking for the missing Maou, desperate tears running from his eyes and looking like the world was going to end.

"Where could he be?" he wailed in the middle of the garden before crouching near a plot of Yuuri's Naiveté and touching the delicate petals of the shimmering sun yellow flowers Lady Cecille von Spietzberg herself had cultivated and planted for their precious Maou. "Heika, where are you…? Why did you leave me here all alone? Do you hate me that much? Have I done something to anger you…? Why do you always run away from me, Heika…?

"But no! This is a test! The Maou is testing my love for him!" he flared up in a sudden fit of passionate inspiration. "I, Gunter, will pass this test of absence and it will merely make my heart grow fonder for His Majesty! My LOVE _will_ _PREVAIL_!"

"Gunter?"

The silver haired man turned and saw a warm faced Conrad walking towards him with a cocked brow.

He immediately jumped to his feet with renewed hope. "Conrad! Do you perhaps know where His Majesty went?"

"Eh?" Remembering what the young Maou told him during their early morning run this morning before he disappeared with Murata again, the Royal Knight figured Yuuri wouldn't want Gunter to know where he was either for the moment after the young Maou told him about his plans to go back to Earth for a while with the Great Sage so he decided to fib a little. The things he did for his Maou… "Not since this morning, no."

"Conrart!" Gunter began to scold him. "You are too lax with His Majesty's protection! How could you let him out of your sight like that?"

"I assure you, Gunter, he's somewhere safe." Or at least, he hoped he was. Ulrike or Shinou would have told them if something happened to the king. "Perhaps he is with His Holiness, talking about the situation in the human lands and about the rebellion. He was pretty troubled about the von Grantz situation."

"That's true…" the lilac haired man grudgingly accepted the explanation but the gentle knot on his forehead still did not disappear. "Still… Oh no! What if His Majesty found out about Lady Kagome's journey? What if he followed her? Quick, Conrart, mobilize the troops! We will follow them before they get to the harbor!"

Conrart had to sweatdrop at his old teacher's overreaction to all things Yuuri. "Calm down, Gunter, the last time I saw him he said he didn't want anyone to disturb Lady Kagome of his whereabouts so that's impossi— Wait a minute. What did you just say about Lady Kagome going on a journey?"

"Eh?"

The sudden shifting of Gunter's purple eyes was a dead giveaway.

The Maou's most trusted royal knight narrowed his eyes on the pale haired man. "What is going on, Gunter?"

"Oh look! I think Greta needs help getting that cat out of the tree!" he tried edging away from the younger half Mazoku.

Unfortunately, Conrart could be as obstinate as any of his brothers when he wanted to and easily got in the royal tutor's way with a well placed glare for good measure. "Gunter!"

"_Ah_, there's work to be done so I should really—"

"Gunter."

"Oh _alright_!" the older Mazoku pouted before slouching off to sit on a nearby stone bench. "She left for human territory almost five days ago."

Conrart's eyes practically bugged out as much they could without making him look unappealing at all. "She WHAT?"

"I said she left for human territory almost five days ago." Gunter parroted.

"_What_?" A new voice joined the conversation and both swordsman and tutor turned to look at a fiercely scowling Wolfram coming towards them, his emerald eyes blazing. He must have been passing by when he heard what Gunter said. "_What_ did you just _say_?"

"I said she left for human territory almost five days ago."

Conrart sighed in exasperation, knowing it was Gunter's natural reaction when he was cornered and still trying to evade a question. "Gunter, give it up."

"And you _let_ her?" Wolfram exclaimed in disbelief as he stopped in front of the lilac haired Mazoku.

"It was a personal request from His Highness," Gunter sighed himself, finally giving in. "And before you ask, yes, Gwendal tried to talk them out of the idea."

"_And_?"

"Apparently His Highness thinks allowing her to join the search party to capture Lord von Grantz would save us time by having her powers trace the location of that dagger she gave him two weeks ago." Gunter shook his head as though still bewildered by the decision of the Great Sage. "It was the only way we can save time before the other nobles could launch their own search parties to execute Rolf for treachery."

The brothers gaped at him, Wolfram breaking the silence. "Wait a minute. I thought that dagger can kill her?"

"Yes, she did mention that," Gunter nodded, admiration sparkling in his eyes at the memory and momentarily forgetting the situation he was currently in. "It was the reason why she gave it over to Rolf. Her Ladyship brilliantly made it clear that His Majesty did not need to protect her and gave up a part of her weakness in order to assure the ten nobles that she meant no harm and prevent a civil war! Her infinite love for His Majesty had saved him from the heartache of another political dispute! I couldn't have thought of a better tactic myself."

"Yes, that was quite clever yet very risky," Conrart nodded, also remembering the day with no little admiration but with a lot more disapproval than Gunter's reaction. "Yuuri wasn't very happy about it but it was the best way to keep the nobles off his back about Her Ladyship even though she knew she was putting herself in great danger. I cannot approve that she acted in such a way without consulting any of us, though."

"Conrart, how can you say that?" Gunter cried out, looking up at his former student in surprise. "Such courage is rare in a woman let alone humans! His Majesty would often make such decisions the same way!"

"True. His Majesty cares for her deeply," Conrart continued frowning, ways on how to keep Yuuri from destroying the world the moment he finds out about the missing priestess already filtering into his head but none seemed effective. "It is obvious that he loves her very much and cherishes her more than life itself. It would make His Majesty sad if something bad happened to her."

"Then why the hell should she come near something so dangerous willingly?" Wolfram raged even as Gunter stood there, stunned by the brunette's words. "Doesn't His Highness know how furious Yuuri will be when he finds out about all this?"

"She went willingly, Wolfram."

"But _why_?" Conrart asked the tutor incredulously, his usual smile completely gone now and only concern marred his gentle face.

Gunter met his former student's warm sliver-brown eyes with resignation. There was no point in keeping things a secret; surely Gwendal would forgive him now that the cat was out of the bag. "Because apparently; she believes that Rolf is innocent."

Wolfram slapped a palm on his forehead and all of them echoed what he was thinking mentally at the same time.

_She truly was related to Yuuri._

The blond turned around and started walking away.

"Wolfram!" Gunter stood up at the younger Mazoku's actions. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going after that she-wimp, what else?" Wolfram snarled back at Gunter, turning to stare down the royal advisor and tutor as though daring the von Christ lord to stop him from doing what he wanted to do. "As Yuuri's fiancé it's my responsibility to look after his family as well and that includes that pea brained cow he calls a twin sister!"

"I'm pretty sure she was given appropriate protection," Conrart turned a narrowed eye at Gunter. "Wasn't she?"

The lilac haired man seemed scandalized. "Of course she was! Hube and Yozak are with her! Neither Gwendal nor I would ever let anything so disgraceful happen to Lady Kagome!"

Wolfram finally relaxed and scowled. "Well I guess that's something."

"I agree; Yozak and Hube would be able to provide her with more than enough protection if they kept a low profile," the brown haired half Mazoku smiled at his younger brother. "Although I must confess, that I think you should have sent her more escorts."

"That would have caught too much attention and Lady Kagome wanted none of that." Gunter told him. "We even left the trip's planning to Yozak and he is very experienced with these things so I am sure they will be able to make her trip as pleasant as possible."

"Yozak, huh?" Conrart sweatdropped. "Effective; yes. Comfotable; I think not."

"I don't see any maids missing," Wolfram scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "How can you possibly say that? Or did you hire a female soldier to tend to her needs?"

The von Christ lord raised his pale brows at the younger Mazoku. "Wolfram, I am surprised that you are this worried about her. I thought you didn't like her?"

"I still don't like her!" Wolfram snapped; stiffening and blushing at the insinuation. He could still clearly remember the way her tears fell from her cheeks when she thanked him for loving Yuuri. No one— _no one_— thanked him for loving Yuuri. From his experience, everyone wanted him out of the way so they could claim the king for their own. He would never admit it but at that time she said that he had felt a pinch in his heart that made him want to… like her. A feeling he was still stubbornly refusing to acknowledge. "She is merely human!"

Gunter smiled serenely at him. "I for one like Her Ladyship. She is obviously almost as perfect in every way the same way our great Maou is and I have seen this the moment Gwendal spoke to her about our rebellion problem and she displayed such compassion for our people by giving in despite her displeasure at the time. It is truly commendable for a woman to stay so strong in such a situation and put aside her rage for the greater good, let alone the good of a race she could easily destroy. Most of our noble born ladies are so pampered they allow emotions to rule them too much and they would allow their emotions to cloud their true potential. Like budding flowers caught by the winter snows."

Conrart merely continued to smile at Gunter's poetic comparison.

"No, I _don't_ like her." Wolfram announced stubbornly and both older men looked back at the blond who was glaring off into the distance. "Can't any of you see it? She's hiding something from us! For all we know she might be thinking of betraying us!"

"Hiding? I don't understand," Gunter responded, raising his brows at the blond. "Lady Kagome has been nothing but forthcoming of her displeasures and opinions. Even though she has not mingled with a lot of the people from the castle it was clear she stayed away from their sights to avoid any more trouble since she wasn't sure what to do at that point or so Gwendal tells me. I understand that her abilities are fearsome but I refuse to believe that anyone who shares blood with and is being held in such high regard by His Majesty could be anything but pure hearted and kind. In this I trust His Majesty fully."

"Besides, she would not have given us that dagger if she wasn't sincere about her wishes not to harm us," Conrart commented, his eyes glued to his younger brother assessing the blonde's expression. These past few years Wolfram was beginning to develop a keen sense of perception probably because of the way he shared Yuuri's bed and has been influenced by the Maou's maryokou. In truth he had displayed a great amount of insight regarding the people around Yuuri which he had thought was ironically appropriate due to his paranoia over the dark haired king's fidelity. Personally his feelings for the young miko were still undecided despite his decision to like her for Yuuri's sake. On the one hand he was obligated to protect her because of her bond with Yuuri and on the other, he was wary of her being a threat to his king. It was true that they had not known her long enough to trust her. They only have the word of their king to recommend her to them. He needed more time with her to assess and measure the loyalties in her heart. In the meantime he will protect her. "Sharing such a dangerous weakness would be suicidal so she must not mean Yuuri any harm despite her threats."

Still Wolfram scowled thoughtfully but his trademark impatience and hot headed attitude was slowly coming to the fore again. "That's just it, don't you see? If that dagger was so dangerous then why was she even carrying it around with her in the first place? Why was she spouting off all that gibberish about thanking us for loving Yuuri so much and her leaving? It almost sounded like…"

Conrart took a step closer towards his brother, his words making a light go off in his head. "Like what, Wolfram?"

"Like…. Like she was saying goodbye…" the youngest of the 26the Maou's sons' frown trembled and softened for a while before he caught himself again. "_Anyway_, I don't know, I just get a bad feeling when I'm around her, that's all. And I'm pretty sure that's what Aniue feels around her too judging from how he glares at her."

"Gwendal glares like that at everybody." Conrart stated matter of factly and blinked, struggling not to laugh.

"That's _not_ the _point_, Weller!" Wolfram snarled at his older brother. "Aren't you worried about how much of a threat she is to Yuuri at _all_!"

Conrart merely regained his regular composure and smiled serenely, keeping his personal feelings hidden. "Yuuri loves her; nothing he loves would ever hurt him; that is what His Majesty believes and that is what I will believe as well."

The blonde nobleman blushed at the unwavering loyalty on his older brother's face, not being able to help the pride he felt at the nobility of someone so close to him. He tried to hide it by turning away and scowling. "That guy's a wimp; he'll trust anything that can hold a conversation with him for more than two minutes! It's my duty as his fiancé to make sure he doesn't get himself accidentally killed! And I will protect him from anyone; even from his own family!"

"You never reacted like this in front of Jennifer or Shouma," Conrart raised a brow at him. "And you certainly have never been antagonistic towards Shouri."

"They're different," the youngest of the three argued. "She's not like them! She's not even _supposed_ to be alive!"

"Wolfram!"

The blonde flinched at the warning tone in his older brother's tone and complied. Halfling or not, Conrart was better than him in a lot of things and he knew how to pick his battles.

"His Highness may have manipulated her birth and existence but wouldn't you say it would be the same for Yuuri? Had Shinou-heika not manipulated events then Yuuri would not have existed; would you be happy with that? Do you consider Yuuri as less than us?"

"He's right," Gunter scolded the blond sternly. "You shouldn't allow your jealousy to get the better of you, Wolfram."

Wolfram scowled and turned away from them. It wasn't jealousy, why can't anyone understand? That woman held secrets and an aura so heavy it reflected in her eyes! They shouldn't let their guard down around her! Although he didn't know how to interpret the darkness in those eyes he knew something big was behind them and he wanted to make sure it will not do anything unpleasant to _his_ Yuuri. Even thought that darkness made him sad for her…

The tense atmosphere was interrupted when the sound of a gentle pair of wings caught their attention and the three looked up to see the sight of a snow white pigeon with the familiar orange bag tied around it's neck. Gunter held his arm up and the bird landed gracefully on his hand, nipping him affectionately while he took the message from the small bag.

"Who is it from?" Conrart asked, curious.

"It's from Cabalcade," Gunter answered, a slight knot marring his smooth forehead. "A message from Gwendal."

Wolfram looked back, worried. They were the only people who knew the real reason why Gwendal was not in the castle. "Aniue? Did something happen? Is he alright?"

"He wants to know more about the Ruins of Ichri." Gunter blinked.

"The deserted country north of Zorashiya? Why would brother be interested in that barren wasteland?" Wolfram frowned, worried.

"He says he will be going with Lady Kagome and the others; seems the lead for the dagger and the rebellion was leading them to turn in the same direction."

"Wait a minute. Then doesn't that mean Rolf _is_ a traitor?"

"Her Ladyship still thinks he is innocent and is determined to push through," Gunter nodded although slightly worried now. "But Ichri is a barren graveyard! How would her lovely delicate skin survive that desolate atmosphere?"

"Now that the rains won't stop in Suberera there's a chance that it won't be that hot there either," Conrart supplied helpfully. "As long as they've got supplies and they have Gwendal then I have no doubt they'll survive through all that."

"This is getting serious," Wolfram began to turn away again. "I'm going to tell Yuuri."

"You can't."

Wolfram turned back to shoot his brother a glare. "Why not?"

"Because he's not here," Conrart sighed, knowing there was no point in keeping it a secret anymore. "He and His Highness went back to Earth to get some things for Her Ladyship. They might take a while."

"HE WHAT?"

"Your Excellency Gunter!"

Both brothers and the pale haired royal advisor turned abruptly to see a panting and pale faced Dorcas rushing towards them.

"What's wrong, Dorcas?" Gunter stepped towards him in concern.

"Your Excellency, a report from the sanctuary guards!" Dorcas wheezed from between pants. "A dragon was spotted… dead. With every drop of blood drained from its body and its head gone but its scales and claws were still intact."

Gasps resounded from the three men hearing the news and, for a while, they were all speechless with shock.

Wolfram's face seized from the shock and turned to pure fury after a while. "Who would dare do such a thing to a creature under the direct protection of Shin Makoku?"

"What did the sanctuary guards say?" Conrart followed it up; alarmed that their security held such a breach especially at such a highly secured place as the dragon sanctuary.

"That's the strangest thing," Dorcas reported gravely, now able to breathe properly again. "Except for several missing guards, no one saw a thing."

Gunter felt his blood run cold. Urgently, he caught a startled Dorcas by the arm and issued an order. "Mobilize the troops and send every single one of them to find those items. Don't let any boat or ship out of the harbor; even the ones belonging to nobility must not be given special treatment."

"Gunter!" Wolfram stared at the pale haired man, scandalized. "You can't! The other nobles would think—"

"I don't care what the other nobles will think!" the pale haired advisor cut him off in an uncharacteristic burst of anger that had both brothers staring at him in shock. "I want those items back immediately!"

"Y-yes, Your Excellency!" Dorcas stuttered before running off again to issue the command.

"Gunter…" Conrart stepped closer to his former teacher warily, wondering what could be wrong. "What's going on…?"

"A dragon's fangs and scales can be used as weapons," Gunter spoke grimly, the pigeon now nipping at his pale hair as though consoling him. "But a dragon's blood and its head missing at the same time leaving those other items untouched are significant for only one thing."

"W-what do you mean?" Wolfram's eyes were wide with barely concealed worry. Gunter was scaring him.

"The dragon was not slain out of greed. It was for the sake of dark magic," he told them gravely, no hint of the crying tutor who worshipped the ground the Maou walked on. "Magic of the blackest kind…"

/****/

Kagome took another peek at Gwendal to see that he was still eyeing Yukishiro with his left eye twitching before he noticed her gaze and turned away, making his horse run ahead of their small group. If it weren't for the misty bog that heralded twilight in tis area she could have sworn the tips of his ears had just turned red. She cocked her head to the side wondering what was going on.

A snort on her left side made her look at Yozak to find the orange haired spy snickering hard and trying his best to hold it all in. Kagome was almost concerned he'd burst like a balloon.

"Did I do something bad to Gwendal, Yozak?" she finally asked the cross dresser.

Another snort and a short cough and Yozak turned back to her, his face split into such a wide smile it looked painful. "Of course not, jouchan, why would you think that?"

Kagome's brows continued to knot. "Is he still mad at us for what we did back in Cabalcade? Because I thought for sure we were forgiven when he stopped mentioning how much he would like to string both of you by your toes in the North Tower two days ago."

Another snort from Yozak as he bent over his chestnut colored horse interrupted whatever response he had for her and Kagome huffed in annoyance. She glanced at Hube at her right who immediately looked away from her and stared straight ahead struggling to keep his face stoic.

"Come on, Hube, what did I do?"

The one eyed Mazoku sighed before peering at her resignedly from beneath his hair. "You seriously haven't noticed at all?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did." Kagome dead panned.

"We will camp here for the night." Came Gwendal's order when they came to a bunch of tall boulders sheltering a clearing from the cold of night around them and a small creek not far away. The rest of the landscape remained swampy and barren with no sign of plant life at all.

Kagome continued to frown after the tall, dark haired Mazoku in consternation, wondering why he was being so… moody. Sure, from the reasonably short time she had personally known him, he wasn't exactly the 'cheerful' type but she hadn't pegged him for being the angsty one either. And these two idiots at her side were no help at all.

"Jouchan," she turned to a smirking Yozak after she dismounted and was currently going through their packs for water. She raised her brows at him and the cross dresser pointed over to Yukishiro's direction with a jerk of his chin. "Watch."

Hube sighed and went back to trying to gather kindling for a fire, unwilling to join Yozak's childish indulgences.

Kagome blinked and followed Yozak's indication towards the place where she allowed Yukishiro to peacefully and freely graze some distance away and was surprised to see her horse and Gwendal facing off with one another silently. _Literally_. As in Gwendal was just there glaring at the horse as though it personally insulted him in some way while the horse just stared back. Seemingly equally insulted.

"What's he doing?" she asked as Yozak sat on a wide rock beside her while she watched all this happen.

The orange haired spy chuckled. "Remember that night before we left the castle when Hube flipped out on you for riding Yukishiro?"

"…I guess…" she thought for a moment before speaking again with surprised, wide eyes. "Is Gwendal angry that I used his horse?"

Yozak snickered again, earning a good slap behind the head as Hube passed by. "Ow! Hube!"

"This is _your_ fault." The one eyed spy blamed him.

"It is SO _not_!"

"Guys!" Kagome sighed even though she was quite used to their bickering by now. That and she had had a lot of experience with male bickering while she was in the Feudal era. "Translation please?"

Hube sighed and started pretending to arrange the kindling at her feet as he spoke without looking at her. "I already told you Gwendal trains these war horses _personally_. He rears them from their conception to the day they die. It's the reason why they're so loyal to him and listens to no one other than him. It is one of the things he is so well known for in Shin Makoku."

"But now, look." Yozak put in, ignoring Hube's glare again, obviously relishing the moment and Kagome followed his gaze a second time.

Gwendal glared at the horse again, his arms now crossed over his chest and looking like he was about to burst a blood vessel. After a while, the Mazoku general reached out to take hold of the horse's reins only to be rebuffed by a sharp snap courtesy of Yukishiro's blunt teeth. And though the horse made no further attempt to attack him, it belligerently held its ground as though daring the Mazoku to move him again.

"Oh." Was all Kagome could say as she realized what the problem was.

"His Excellency Gwendal prides himself more as a horse master than as a lord," Hube smiled at the scene fondly as he spoke. "The fact that you have managed to take that animal's loyalty is a mystery to him and he hates those."

Kagome swallowed. "So he's mad at me."

"I doubt it." Yozak snorted. "He seems kinda fond of you, jouchan."

"He is?"

Hube chuckled at the incredulous wide eyed glance she spared them. "His Excellency is not a man of many words but he is a gentleman. See how he is ill tempered over the fact that we cannot get you a comfortable inn to stay in every night in the middle of the road?"

"I thought that was just because he hated to travel."

"The fact that he wanted you comfortable means he knows enough of travelling to know how unpleasant it could be," Yozak winked at her. "Haven't you noticed how he would stop at every good inn whenever we pass by one?"

"But that's just silly," Kagome waved it off. "We were in a hurry and it isn't wise to gather too much attention to our selves by staying at fancy places like that."

"That's the only reason why he's tolerated my ideas so far," Yozak grinned at her. "The fact that you seem so okay with everything I say is the only thing saving my neck from his sword."

Kagome smiled fondly at Gwendal as he finally threw his hands up in the air and turned away from her horse with a frustrated huff. "He's a good man. If that's the only reason why he won't look me in the eye since we left Cabalcade then I guess I should count myself lucky."

At that moment, their eyes met from across the clearing but Kagome kept on smiling warmly at the Mazoku lord while his eyes lingered on her face; an emotion far from identifiable darkening the deep blue orbs before he flushed, swallowed hard and turned away, heading towards the nearest body of water where he left the other horses to graze and drink their fill, Yukishiro following him with a triumphant toss of his long mane.

Unknown to them, though, was the _real_ reason why Gwendal avoided looking Kagome in the eye. It wasn't because he wouldn't. It was because he _couldn't_. Despite her forgiveness things were different in the light of day. He was as lost to the meaning of his reactions to her as he ever was and it confused him to no end. Like the way his heart sped up when their eyes would meet. Or how he craved to be close to her. So since these things invoked unfamiliar reactions in him, he struggled to avoid them while silently evaluating his situation like a good strategist would.

What was he feeling? What should he do? How should he handle it?

He hoped and was proven wrong that the attraction— the _need_ he felt that night at Cabalcade— was all just a big mistake. A by product of a healthy man near a beautiful, healthy, desirable young woman and the rash, reckless emotions he would occasionally submit to (not that he would ever admit it) whenever he got angry or desperate. But under the light of day; the moment she greeted him a warm good morning with her eyes all misty from sleep; had him stiffening and imagining himself waking up beside her, being greeted with the same warmth but with her luxurious ebony hair scattered all over her creamy, naked shoulders instead of hidden under a baseball cap away from his touch…

To make matters worse, no matter how much he made himself think she was just another vulnerable human woman; she had shown him how resilient she was on the road. He had not heard a single complaint out of her and she got along with him, Yozak and Hube easily, even making the tedious journey across the now murky borders of Suberera bearable with her stories about her Feudal Era and her questions about Yuuri and his adventures in this world mostly supplied by Yozak. Even he had confided in her the story about when he and Yuuri met Nikola, inevitably charmed by her laughter when he told her they were mistaken for elopers.

She was not awkward with him at all despite how much he tried to ignore her. The fact that she seemed to effortlessly forget what happened between them in Cabalcade while he was still reeling from it displeased him greatly yet he was helpless to express his displeasure. She spoke to the three of them as though they had been travelling companions for centuries, impressing him with her understanding that, when travelling with someone; you need to be comrades with them to make the long road easier to look out for. And with that she had won his grudging respect so he stopped trying to treat her like a fragile, porcelain glass doll after two nights; though not for lack of trying. Yozak and Hube were both equally besotted with her as well and Gwendal noticed how bright the atmosphere became when she was around. As for him…

Shinou, he would rather face a whole army of Suberera's Houjutsu mages than struggle with this… _whatever_ it is! If only he had a name for it. If only he had a definition! Then he would be able to get some peace of mind! Then he would get his clarity and his reason for living back to what it was again.

Kagome, due to sheer force of habit, took out the food and supplies they've managed to keep with them from Cabalcade and thanked heaven that though the villages they passed lacked in food at least they had plenty of water so supplying themselves with the liquid was not a problem. It felt like she was travelling with the others again. Sango would be helping her boil the water and Miroku would be sitting there calmly cheering everyone up. Shippou would be playing with Kirara if he wasn't pestering Inuya—

She swallowed and forced her mind back to the present. Kami how she missed them. But she must remind herself that she wasn't alone and she wouldn't want to burden anyone else with her pain. No matter how much she missed them, no matter how much travelling like this pained her because of the memories, she must remember that she was doing this for an important cause. Just not with them this time. She was not alone…

A sharp flash of dread stopped her in the middle of taking the jerky out of her pack and the familiar shortness of breath and the icy cold fingers of the dagger's power made its way around her heart all of a sudden. Surprising her companions, she stood up and stepped out onto the edge of the clearing hastily.

Kagome allowed her senses to spread out as she focused on the dark power of the dagger she was looking for. The past two nights as they travelled from Cabalcade it was like a familiar and dreaded beacon to her but the feeling did not inspire so much icy danger and she approached it fearlessly. Tonight, though, on their third night away from Cabalcade something was different. The darkness in the dagger was swelling in a way she cannot find comfort in. Someone was utilizing the dark energy inside it.

The men gaped at the tingling feel of the soft pink light that started flowing out of the young woman's body, its sheer power making her clothes and what strands of her ebony black hair escaped the blue baseball cap she wore float on an invisible wind. Gwendal forgot to breathe for a moment as he stared at her.

_She was so beautiful…_

Letting her concentration drop, long forgotten air rushed into her lungs and she had to lean against a boulder beside in order to keep standing as she panted.

"Jouchan, what happened?"

"Are you alright, my lady?"

She tried to control her breathing and looked back at a concerned looking Yozak and Hube, forcing herself to smile reassuringly at them. "Yes, thank you."

Gwendal was obviously not satisfied with her answer. He had run towards her from the other side of the clearing when she strode hurriedly away from the campfire. He frowned at her and came as close as he dared knowing he came any nearer and touched her, he'd be held captive by his desires again. "You look pale, what's wrong?"

Kagome shook her head knowing this was not the time to keep things to herself. "I'm not sure… Ichri is that way, isn't it?"

Yozak peered towards the dark looking north east as she pointed towards it before nodding. "Yup. We're still on the borders of Suberera but we should be crossing it soon."

Kagome straightened up, her worry escalating as she recalled the unfamiliar power the dagger was generating. "We need to hurry. Something's wrong."

"What is it?" Hube asked in concern, also coming close to them.

"The dagger…" she clenched her hands into fists over her thighs as she forced herself to stand up. "Someone is doing something to the dagger!"

The three men looked back at each other before Gwendal asked. "What do you mean?"

Kagome straightened and whistled; Yukishiro immediately responded by cantering over to her obediently. She grabbed her quiver and bow and slung her saddle bags back on the horse before running for a torch from Hube's merry fire and hopping on board the snorting animal. "I don't know what's going on but I can assure you it can't be good. We don't have time, we need to go _now_!"

"My lady!" Gwendal called out to her.

Kagome met his Prussia blue eyes with a plea for understanding. "I think they may be trying to use it as a weapon."

And without another word she urged the horse into a gallop as she raced towards the ruined city making Gwendal release some deeply choice curses as he ran over to his own horse. "Hube, Yozak, take care of our left over supplies and follow when you can! Each of you, take a light from the fire before following!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Gwendal had urged the horse into a run before his spies had even managed to finish their sentence; Kagome was the only thing on his mind. He did not miss the urgency in her voice and knew it would be foolish to take her word for granted at this point. No one knew that dagger more than she did and if the members of the rebellion were utilizing it as a weapon against the Maou then…

"Hiyah!" he urged his horse to go faster and, soon enough, he was astride her mount.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and saw the determination on her pale face even as she tuned her senses to her goal. He swore at that moment that he would never let anything harm her.

/****/

"Buyo! Come on, Buyo, hand over my rubber ducky! It's bath time!"

The fat tabby mewed playfully at his younger male human from outside the bathroom door of the Higurashi residence even as he toyed with the elastic toy animal between his paws as though daring Souta to come get it.

The youngest Higurashi, however, was too experienced with this kind of teasing not to have a few tricks of his own. So, with a sly little smirk, he edged closer to the bathtub he had previously filled with his bathwater and, with one quick movement, splashed the cat with the liquid. "Wind Scar!"

Souta laughed at the cat's indignant yowl before it ran out and down the stairs, its fur dripping wet leaving the toy duck behind. "Ha! That'll teach you to make fun of the great Souta-sama and his mighty bath water!"

Now that he had his favorite bath toy and his privacy on hand, Souta sighed and got in the tub leisurely. Normally, like any other boy, he would hate bathing, but ever since he got serious with soccer and his sister gifted him with a jar of assorted bath salts he found that a handful of the ginseng and eucalyptus blend made him feel exceptionally good after a long day of practice. Plus it had the added benefit of stopping Kagome from teasing him about smelling like one of grandpa's old socks.

Kagome…

Souta frowned at the thought of his older sister. These past few days— even months now that he thought about it— she had been acting really strange. Something about the air about her made him feel like there was this big dark cloud over her that he couldn't understand. He had always been close to her and she loved him like no one else except perhaps their mother. He didn't care if she was adopted or not because she would always be Kagome to him. So that encompassing heaviness tainting the bright and sunny feeling that he usually felt around her was more than a bit disturbing.

He tried talking to his mother about it but she too seemed distracted as of late and he had no doubt she noticed it too. All she told him to do was to wait until Kagome was ready to tell them. Grandpa decided it had something to do with evil spirits and had practically covered Kagome's door with sutras before Kagome finally flipped and took them off. Souta only wished Kagome would hurry up. He hated worrying about her like this…

He pulled the rubber duck under the water and watched as floated above the surface again as he lost himself in thought. He had been doing this for nigh on fifteen minutes, merely waiting for his fingers to catch the toy once it had started floating again so he was pulled out of his thoughts when the toy stopped coming to his hand.

Souta blinked and looked into the tub, expecting the rubber toy to be floating on some other part of the tub he was in. But no matter where he turned he just couldn't find it. Frowning, he stood up and looked over the edges of the tub. Still no duck. He started feeling for it on the bathtub's floor when, suddenly, he had to pull his hand back in shock.

Did he pull the stopper out? Why is the water spinning? His eyes then widened when a pair of black heads broke through the surface of his bathwater and gasped.

"AHHHHHHH!"

"Ah! Hey, Souta-kun!" his cousin Yuuri grinned at him awkwardly as though trying to pass the whole thing off as normal after sputtering for a few minutes. "Long time no see!"

"Eucalyptus and ginseng, huh?" Murata added on just behind the other young man. "Nice choice."

"So," Yuuri continued as though they were having afternoon tea instead of sitting in a bathub with a naked young boy. "How's soccer?"

Souta had enough. "MOOOOOOMMMM!"

"Souta, what's wrong?" cried a warm, worried voice and they all heard rushing footsteps before the bathroom door slid open revealing Higurashi Aki staring wide eyed at the three boys in the bathtub.

"H-Hi Aunt Aki," Yuuri laughed sheepishly, raising his hand and scratched behind his neck. "How are you?"

Aki blinked once. Then twice at the three sopping wet boys, two of which were still fully clothed, before she warmly smiled at them all and relaxed. "Yuu-chan, Ken-chan. How nice of you to drop by."

Ken grinned up at her sweetly. "Excuse us for intruding."

"Nonsense, come and have some tea."

"MOM!" Souta yelled, blushing and hysterical as he struggled to grab for his bath towel placed neatly on the stool beside the tub. "They just popped out of my bath! Why are you inviting them for tea like this happens every day?"

"Nonsense, Souta, don't be rude to your cousin." Aki lightly scolded her son.

"They. Popped. Out. Of my. BATH, _mom_!"

"I'm sure that happens a lot," Aki merely laughed and pulled out a couple more towels from the small closet where she kept them in the bathroom. "Now you boys get out of there before you catch a cold."

"Yes, Aunt Aki," Yuuri laughed sheepishly again, wondering if this whole weird thing about his aunt and his mother taking such unusual things in stride ran in the family. But then again, how many mothers had children who can travel between time and space? "Thanks."

"Souta, where are you? Hold on, grandpa will save you!" and just like that, Grandpa Higurashi flew from behind his Aunt Aki with exceptional agility for such an old man and, before he knew it, a sutra was slapped on his forehead. "Demon, BEGONE!"

"Papa!" Aki scolded her father-in-law.

Murata sweatdropped at the entire situation while Souta just smirked.

"I told you we should have gone to your house first." The bespectacled soukoku told his best friend.

"Trust me," Yuuri muttered, trying to peel off the sticky paper. "This is better than having Shouri or mom interrogating me about where Kagome is."

"Did you say Kagome?" Souta was immediately on him, his sable eyes fiercely reminding them both of Shouri when at his creepiest older brother mode. "What about _my_ sister?"

"You were saying?" Ken raised his brows at the Maou who sighed.

"Okay, maybe not."

"You do realize days are going to pass by back in Shin Makoku before we could ever go back, don't you?"

"I left them a letter."

"Like that will save you from Wolfram when you get back."

"Don't remind me…" Yuuri's self pity party was cut short at the sudden explosion of an odd yet familiar aura and he clutched at his chest as his soul responded to it.

"Yuu-chan?" Aki asked him in concern.

Yuuri, however, looked back at Murata. "Did you feel that?"

Ken nodded his face grim and wary as his eyes sought the direction of the disturbance. "Auntie, what's in that direction?"

Aki blinked down at the young men before responding. "You mean the well house?"

Souta grinned and stepped off the bath tub. "Kagome must be back."

"That's impossible." Yuuri stood up straight making his relatives glance at him, surprised at the dignity he managed to convey even while he was soaking and standing in their bathtub.

Like a king.

"And why is that?" Aki asked carefully.

Yuuri and Murata stepped off the bathtub as well and exchanged nods before starting for the stairs that would lead them down from the second floor. "Because I've taken Kagome to my world. She's back in Shin Makoku and she will stay there with me for a while."

The three Higurashi stood there, stunned; before Souta's brain registered his words fully and his blood boiled at the very idea. "You WHAT?"

Luckily, the soukoku rulers were already on their way to the well house. And Souta decided he was getting dressed properly before they returned.

So he could kick his older cousin's ass without being naked.

/****/

"Nyah…"

Buyo was not a happy kitty. He was literally outsmarted by his human!

Shaking off the evidence of his disgrace as he prowled outside the house, he began looking for a place to lick his tattered pride. The well house seemed to be the best place to be; that would teach her humans to give him the respect he was due. Besides, he had seen his youngest female human enter the well early that afternoon and he knew he would get his fur all soothed once she came back. Her young female human always knew what to do to make things right again.

But as he entered the well house, a familiar scent hint the house cat's senses and he bristled. He knew that scent since his young human female carried it with her every time she came back from the other side of the well but never was it this strong. Again he sniffed.

The scent of the musty wood was still there along with the lingering scents of his young female but as Buyo neared the well the scent became obvious.

The scent of evergreen, pine, the forest, fire and magic the cat could only associate with her young female. Buyo jumped gracefully on the well's old rim and peered into the darkness.

His golden cat eyes clearly caught the sight of a pair of fierce red eyes staring back at her; a large furry figure hovering over what seemed like the unconscious figure of a child, his hand clutching a familiar set of beads so tightly you would think it was the only thing anchoring him to the living.

And perhaps it did. It was his only anchor through time.

The well house door suddenly flew open and Buyo turned and narrowed her eyes at the now familiar sight of his human's relatives. The strange ones who smelled different but not really different. The one with the glasses stepped back but the other strode over right to the rim of the well confidently and peeked in using a flashlight to illuminate the dark bottom.

"Oh crap." Yuuri muttered as he saw a fully transformed Kirara baring her fangs at them, warning them not to get too close as she hovered over Shippou. "Murata. I think you better take a look at this."

Ken, his glasses reflecting the glare from the flashlight, also peered over the well and took note of the situation. "Well, this is interesting. I thought Kagome said they can't travel between time with her."

"Well, obviously something happened for fate to change her mind." The Maou commented wryly.

"That was _very_ mature, Shibuya." Ken smirked at him. "Maybe you should hang out with Gunter a bit more. Poetry has always been a widely known panty peeler."

"Sh-shut up!"

Yuuri turned back to the nekomatta with a kind smile after glaring at the Great Sage and a small flare of maryouko that introduced him to the demon cat as effectively as a handshake. "Hey, I'm Yuuri. You're Kagome's friend, aren't you? Don't be scared, I won't let anyone hurt you. I am, after all; a Maou."

Kirara looked into the ebony eyes of this creature that smelled a little like Inuyasha though this young man's smell was too fresh and powerful and she detected a similarity to his scent to that of Kagome's that immediately had her calming down. The strength of the power he emitted also managed to convey to her that he was alpha here. So turning back into her smaller form, she turned back to the unconscious kit who she got lost with through the eddies of time.

"I think we should pull them out of there," Murata declared with a nod. "And Shibuya, I believe you have just found yourself the perfect ticket to get back into your sister's good graces."

PLEASE REVIEW ^^v


	14. Chapter 14

A.N.: I apologize; been very busy and so I hope you like this extra long chapter. It's the least I could do, after all.

AND I ALSO WANT TO DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO ORIHIME-SAN AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ORIHIME-SAN!

May you have all the best life can give! ^_~V

As for you guys…

Happy Reading! ^^v

**Chapter 14**

Rolf von Grantz watched as a man in a white hooded blue cloak raised the dagger over a white marble bowl filled with what looked like blood even as over a couple dozen other men surrounded him in a circle chanting ancient words. Holding the small bowl above the ground was a large altar seemingly made of pure Houseki and Maseki and the slab gleamed like a large piece of jewel under the crescent moon.

Hidden among the others assembled beyond the circle the young lord watched from underneath his own white hooded blue cloak. Around the altar were rings upon rings stretching and ever widening outside each other until it spanned about 350 meters with about 10 rings drawn inside each other. The rings were drawn using what seemed to be powdered maseki and houseki stones. Rolf could practically feel their energies clashing and was thankful for the maseki fragment he was give earlier by one of his comrades.

He knew this site, although most of what he and others knew were only influenced by fairy tales and legends. This was the site where Sousho was said to have been born.

He watched as the leader of the ritual continued to chant and he would be everything he owned that as he did so, the maseki and houseki around him grew darker as well; as though they were losing their energy to the dagger. The glowed darkly even as the dagger itself emitted a black sort of mist and released a noise akin to sounds that could have been made by tortured people and it made the hairs in each and every one of the spectators there stand on end. The ritual had lasted for hours and it has only been a few minutes since the assembly of spectators had gathered around the casters to watch the proceedings. Even the casters themselves have had to change every five hours or so to keep the chants from stopping.

He was not aware what the whole ceremony was for exactly; only that he was advised the whole ritual would bring them all great power. A power they can use to bring the all powerful 27th Maou to his knees.

The ritual was stopped all of a sudden when the blood inside the bowl began to move. It flowed and circled around the dagger, not touching it but somehow responding to the magic it emitted. It was somewhat the same way His Majesty controlled his water dragons but had no form. The power felt unfamiliar which surprised Rolf quite a bit. He was expecting this magic to feel at least a little bit like His Majesty's human twin sister's powers or aura but it did not. In fact, it felt far from it. As a magic user himself, he was well informed of the differences one's personality can be brought in ones magic particularly that of majutsu users. In Houjutsu, one didn't really have to have a particular skill so they felt uniform, only varying in strength and number. But this power… it was nothing he had ever felt before. And his heart filled with despair as it affected him deeply.

Everyone watched as the flowing blood gathered on top of the assembly and began to form a red cloud. It then started slowly dripping blood all over the ground like a thin mist of rain, restricting itself inside the wide circle. After the cloud of blood was emptied everyone waited.

But nothing happened.

"We need more blood," Rolf heard the lone man holding the dagger say as he frowned at the ground after several minutes of silence. "Has the new shipment arrived yet?"

Rolf's curious thoughts were interrupted when a shout from beyond the assembled onlookers rang through the graveyard and everyone parted to make way for the man. Rolf scowled as he recognized the face of an infantry soldier from Shin Makoku who had been assigned to the dragon's sanctuary a few years back. He wasn't surprised; not really. He had known the man was a malcontent at best and had suspected him of turning the first chance he got.

The soldier knelt on one knee in front of the ringleader while others wearing his colors settled down several large vats of what seemed like wine beside him before kneeling down himself,

"My lord," the soldier intoned. "Here are the requirements you have asked us to deliver."

The leader nodded before looking off towards the large cart where something large seems to have been left behind and covered. "Is that what I think it is?"

The kneeling soldier nodded to one of his companions who stood up and threw the black tarp covering the large lumpy thing. Almost everyone gasped at the sight of the grisly, severed dragon head staring at them with eyes that seemed to show defiance until the bitter end.

Rolf remained unaffected. Outwardly.

The leader laughed out loud at the sight long and hard before leaning down to tap at the soldier's shoulder with fatherly affection and straightened. "You shall earn a most honored place at our lord's side."

Adoring eyes stared up as the soldier's eyes glowed. "Thank you so much, my lord! It is an honor to serve you!"

The man laughed some more before straightening again. "Then let us finish the ceremony and gather our power! Sir Reynaud!"

Rolf scowled at the young lord who came forward along with his two other cronies. "Yes, my lord?"

"You have done well by collecting all this maseki; they are truly resplendent!"

The young lord preened along with Willaperht and Gautier. All of them had arrived a little bit late but their leader was more than pleased by the amount of maseki they were able to bring with them.

The leader then signaled some of the cloaked men to get the vats that had what Rolf now suspected to be dragon's blood and they all placed the vats in the center circle where the small white bowl used to be.

"Amazing…" Rolf heard one of the many people there say. "He has not even had that blessed dagger for a fortnight and yet he has managed to master its power in so short a time! He is truly amazing!"

"Our messiah will lead us all to the pinnacle of power!" another of the hooded members cried.

And Rolf watched with cold eyes as the ceremony prepared to commence all over again. He needed to the right timing. Acting now would bring the whole assembly down on him and his men and he couldn't risk them here. Plus, although the amount of maseki was great, the equal amount of houseki kept their maryouko on an all time low so they would need to conserve thri strength. He would prefer dearly to get out of his mess alive. So he needed to wait for the perfect opportunity.

This was all an exercise in the game of patience he was always being told he should try.

He just needed to stand still… and watch.

And wait for the time to come.

/****/

"_My lady!_"

Gwendal scowled as Kagome continued on relentlessly as though she had not heard him, half terrified, half in awe that she had no concern about getting lost in this boggy weather that plagued this part of the human's lands. Her torch had fizzled out of existence hours ago and all he could do was follow; silently cursing the fact that she had to have chosen the fastest of his steeds to tame. He had to stop her before she broke her neck.

Urging his horse faster, he found an incline that he can take. He knew it would take him in front of Kagome instantly and save her pretty little hide. Without hesitating, he allowed his horse to fly over the incline, his riding skills the only reason his horse had not gone lame. A little more movement and he found himself in front of Kagome's stubborn horse making it halt abruptly. For a moment, Gwendal thought she would be thrown off over the horse's head but instead, the animal cleverly stood on its rear legs for a moment, shrewdly walking in a circle in an attempt to gain balance to stop such a mishap from happening with Kagome's frightened eyes never leaving his own. Gwendal was quite surprised at the protectiveness the horse was exhibiting towards the young woman.

"What on _Earth_ do you think you're doing?" the dark haired Mazoku lord cried out, reaching out and catching her reins in harsh concern even though she probably didn't need it by the way she was handling her mount now as soon as he recovered from his surprise. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

But she continued to look at some point beyond his shoulder with that same panicked expression on her face even as her horse struggled against his hold. "I don't..."

Gwendal gritted his teeth and struggled to ride astride of her mount, baring his teeth against the stubborn animal that won't let him near her. "You don't _what_?"

Suddenly, though, she blinked. And it was as though a light had switched on in her eyes again. "It stopped."

"_What_ stopped?" Gwendal growled at her, confused and frustrated that she wasn't making any sense.

"It stopped." Kagome breathed as she looked out across the mountains they were traversing and towards the direction her eyes were fixed on. "I can't believe it stopped…"

"My _lady_!" Gwendal called to her, urging his horse closer to her mount, beginning to get annoyed now.

"It stopped," she panted now, allowing her frail shoulders to sag. "Thank God…!"

A snort from the horse made her look down and she gave him an apologetic pat on the head. "I'm sorry, Yukishiro, did I scare you?"

Gwendal scowled. She was apologizing to the _horse_? And here he was who actually saved her from breaking _her neck_? "What stopped? You mean the dagger?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure." she shook her head and then rode the horse around and around the same spot to work off the long desperate ride she had put the animal through before she got off. The raven haired girl took out her water canteen and her saddle bags off the animal and proceeded to let the lathered horse drink; leaning her forehead against the horse's mane in a further attempt at an apology. "It just stopped crying to me. Just like that. Whoever was trying to use the dagger's power must have had to stop somehow for some reason. It may be that they are unfamiliar with that power and they're experimenting with it. But they are getting too good too fast. It's frightening."

"That doesn't explain why you would risk your neck by going after that stupid dagger!" he growled at her.

"Well what did you want me to do?" she flashed angry eyes at him. "Left it there and commit the second biggest mistake of my life?"

"What if it was a trap?" he snarled back at her knowing she was talking about the Shikon no Tama and the first time she shattered it. "You could have gotten us killed just rushing into the thick of the enemy without a plan!"

"I didn't ask you to follow me here!" she snapped at him but immediately regretted it.

They fell silent at that and Gwendal scowled at her and those foolish words. As soon as she said those words he could also see how surprised she was as well but he didn't want to see it; he was so angry. When she broke off their staring contest she then bit her lip before burying her forehead onto Yukishiro's flank even as the horse snorted and tried to comfort her seemingly pained heart.

Gwendal frowned thoughtfully at her, wondering why she was acting like such a brat and led his own horse under a copse of trees hidden enough to keep their privacy from any unfriendly stragglers but visible enough for Yozak and Hube's sharp eyes to let them know where they were. He was just concerned about her that was all. This attitude of hers just now was the proof he was looking for. He was right about her then; she was not exceptional at all. Merely a selfish brat who only thought about her own goals and had no heed to anybody else's sacrifices. The Mazoku general knew he should be glad; it was his chance to escape her influence, after all; but surprisingly all he could feel was a heavy disappointment… and more than a little bit of hurt.

He vigilantly watched as she tenderly stroked and whispered sweet nothings to the horse's ear feeling an unfamiliar tinge sting him in the gut. If he didn't know better then he would have called the feeling envy.

But that was impossible. How could he be envious of a _horse_?

She led the animal towards him and tied it next to his own mount before sitting at the foot of the tree where he was standing nearby lathering down his own horse. They both rested there in silence, him, trying to ignore her, mostly. At least that was what he was trying to do until she spoke.

"It scared me..." Gwendal glanced sharply at the young woman who had just confessed her fear to him. She was huddled down and hugging her knees to her chest this time, her chin resting on them. "If anything bad happens in this world because of the dagger's power then I will never forgive myself.

"I honestly don't know how this power can be useful in this world but it can't be any good. Besides that, if I can use the maseki as a catalyst in order to use my power then whose to say they can't do the same to the dagger?" she continued despondently. "The easiest part about dark magic is that it doesn't really take a lot of sacrifice to control. Just a person's will could allow anyone to use it; it's what it's for. It is a weapon; a tool. It would cling to anything who wants it and there's no telling what and how it will work for them. If they somehow misuse it… There's no telling what kind of danger this could bring."

Gwendal blinked and, for a moment, gave quietly in to a moment of panic. He was never a people person by nature and was actually more comfortable with animals than humans or Mazoku so— more often than not— he never knew what to say when faced with these kinds of situations.

Mazoku women either _never_ admitted fear or became sniveling cowards instead, clinging to the nearest solid object they could find. The war between their pride and their vulnerability never ceased to partially annoy him so he usually left these subjects to either his brother Conrad or Gunter who had much gentler dispositions than he ever could possess when involving other people's affairs, or to his mother who usually knew what to say. Occasionally he would allow Annisina to handle situations like these but, out of concern for the female involved, he usually steered them clear of that option. But this young woman was exhibiting neither false bravado nor overt weakness of heart. She was being...

Honest.

With him.

Baring herself.

To him.

He was so pressured by the need to say something that he could barely think straight so he said the first words that came to his head. "It's not entirely your fault you are here. It was His Majesty's decision, after all."

As soon as the words were out, Gwendal wanted to hit himself over the head.

_What the HELL was that?_

But instead of mocking him, she merely sent him a grateful smile that took away the tension from his shoulders in an instant. "I can't blame all of this on Yuu-chan. Besides, you're not supposed to be saying that; you're supposed to make it look like he can do no wrong. It's your job, after all."

"I have no qualms telling His Majesty when he is wrong," he was so surprised by his response that he spoke honestly now, not understanding why it was so easy to be just honest and himself with her. "It is why I am kept in his favor."

"What are you talking about?" her brows were raised at him in surprise. "Yuu-chan practically thinks of you guys as family."

Gwendal blinked at that. "Why do you say that?"

"It's something in his voice whenever he talks about all of you; I can tell none of you guys can do any wrong in his eyes. And even if you did he'd do everything he could to get you guys back," she laughed softly. "I know it's what I'd do."

Gwendal could only stare at her mutely. She was such a big puzzle to him. One moment she was a pouting, spoiled little girl and then a logical political tactician the next and then she would suddenly turn into a seductive vixen that made him lose his precious self control. And then from there she would be a grand lady one minute then a hardened traveler later. And if that didn't take the cake she was now transforming in front of him from a charge into a comrade. Someone who shared his love and concern for others. She was truly a study in contradictions.

A soft whinny cut through his thoughts and he blinked as the horse she called Yukishiro passed him by to approach Kagome who in turn accepted its comforting nuzzling with a sweet and gentle smile, allowing her baseball cap to be fall off her head because of the horse's muzzle and freeing her bountiful raven black hair.

And as though his mouth had grown a brain of its own, Gwendal suddenly spoke. "Why did you name him Yukishiro?"

Kagome looked up at him in surprise; he was still posed beside his own horse and taking off the animal's saddle bags to allow it to rest as he stared at her with a curious expression on his face. She found the odd expression adorable on him.

The Shikon no Miko gently smiled at Yukishiro and rubbed her cheeks against its soft muzzle comfortably. "There's a fairytale on Earth that reminded me of him when I first saw him at the stables."

"Fairy tale?"

"Uh huh," Kagome patted the horse's muzzle again before allowing the animal to rest beside her. Her eyes then took on the dazed look of a dreamer and a small, fond smile that could only be reserved for memories crossed her lips and Gwendal suddenly didn't care he was staring. "Once upon a time there was a King and Queen who lived far, far away… They were very much in love but had no children of their own. One cold winter day, as the Queen was sewing beside her ebony window sill, she pricked her finger and several drops of her blood fell on her window. It was caught in the snow that had managed to make its way into her room and settle on her ebony window sill and she was fascinated by the mixture of colors. White on Black and Red on White. So then she made a wish!

"She wished for a child with hair as black as ebony and skin as white as snow and lips the color of blood. The gods granted her wish a year later and she bore herself a daughter with these features on her person. The happy Queen named her Snow White." She pulled herself out of memory lane and grinned up at him. "In Japan, the name Yukishiro literally means Snow White."

Gwendal blinked and then looked back at the horse again. Her description was pretty accurate except for the lips the color of blood thing. But then again, how many wars had he been into where the horses' faces were drenched in the blood of their masters or their master's enemies?

"I… see." Was all he could say.

"Are you still mad that I took him from the stables without your permission?" she now asked, slightly biting her lip in worry. "Hube and Yozak said it would bother you. I honestly didn't know he was yours, though."

If she knew what he was really thinking while they were travelling, he doubted she would be so calm and apologetic. "It's fine; consider it a gift. My horses are smart and they often choose their masters and not the other way around. It's what makes them special."

"_Really_?" she asked, flabbergasted as she jumped to her feet. "You're giving him to _me_?"

Gwendal blinked, slightly alarmed at her reaction. It reminded him too much of Annissina. "Yes, of course."

"Oh thank you!" and before he knew it, Gwendal was engulfed in a warm, happy hug before she pulled away and tilted her head back to look up at him, her eyes shining like a glowing midnight.

"I-it's the least I could do…" he stuttered even as the intoxicating scent of lily of the valleys filled his mind. "To apologize for all the wrongs I have done since we met."

"You don't have to apologize, I understand!" she laughed up at him happily. "It was all partly my fault anyway. I actually thought you didn't like me at all!"

Gwendal blinked at her, surprised at her revelation. "Why would you think that?"

"Well…" she looked down and her smile faltered before she blushed a bit before replying. "You remember what I told you that night at Cabalcade, right? I just… thought you wouldn't bother to—"

"You should stop listening to what that… _fellow_ had to say about you," he interrupted her and suddenly reached out to shake her a bit from her shoulders as though trying to make her understand how special she was and not the fool Inuyasha had had her believe. "You are intelligent and compassionate and very brave; it's obvious since you are currently travelling all over an unfamiliar country just to prove one man's innocence. I would be _honored_ to have a friend like you!"

The wondering look in her eyes was so pure and sincere that it made something in his chest melt and his knees wobble and it was all he could do not to grab her and hold her close to him. "So does this mean that we're friends now?"

The Mazoku general blinked at this. Friends? Was that what he was feeling for her all this time? Friendship?

Perhaps. Didn't he feel happy whenever he made one of his brothers or his mother or even Gunter smile? He would never admit it but this pleasant feeling at seeing Kagome happy surely felt similar to what he felt for his loved ones. So was it friendship?

_But then what about that night at Cabalcade…?_

No, that was just a fluke! He was merely too high strung so that shouldn't count.

Right.

"I…" he hesitated for a moment before his voice gained strength and conviction as he came to a decision. "Yes."

Kagome laughed and breathed deeply before giving him another hug and pulled away. "I'm glad… But you need to promise to call me Kagome."

Gwendal blinked again. "But—"

"_Please_?"

Damn it, why did she and the Maou have to have the cutest puppy dog eye expressions? It should be marked off as a forbidden weapon! He should probably talk to Gunter about this when he got back to the palace.

"K-Ka…" Gwendal swallowed, scowled, and tried again. "Kagome…"

Gwendal felt relieved as a corner of his mouth lifted; finally he had a word for the feelings that were plaguing him and he was more than willing to accept them. Yes, he could handle friendship.

Her eyes shone even brighter with happiness and before he knew it, he was smiling back at her slightly. Although there was a pang in his heart somewhere which he still did not understand he ignored it and accepted this explanation. Friendship— though hardly tangible— was at least something he understood. And he readily accepted it.

"Kagome…" he repeated a lot easier now, something loosening the walls around his heart as he tasted her name on his tongue.

If possible, her smile got wider and the tender look in her eyes was worth any indignity at baring his walls for her at that moment. "Thank you, Gwendal."

The effect of his name being spoken from her lips was like an abrupt volcanic eruption right in the middle of his gut. It reminded him of that night in Cabalcade. When— for at least a little while…—he had her in his arms…

He was pulled away from this dangerous train of thought when they were approached by a set of hooves and instantly, Gwendal pulled his sword out of his scabbard and took a position in front of Kagome. But he surprised him when she walked around him and had notched an arrow steadily on her bow. He was startled at how quick she was about it.

But they didn't need to worry since the clouds parted to reveal Yozak and Hube approaching them, their faces grim.

"Jouchan! Your Excellency!" Yozak slid off his horse and left Hube to take care of it before approaching the two.

"Yozak!" Kagome approached him, a hand immediately clutching gently at his bicep and her face a study in concern. "What's wrong? Were you hurt?"

Gwendal told himself that her concern was understandable. Yozak had been good to her from the very start and had shown quite a bit of fondness for her. It wasn't like he was going to be her _only_ friend. So he shrugged aside the little prickly stab in his gut again and managed to maintain his icy façade.

"Nah, it was just a long ride; you guys certainly covered a lot of ground! Took us a while to track you," he breathed and ruffled her hair with a large hand before taking a piece of parchment from his belt and passing it over to Gwendal. "It's from Blood Pledge Castle. It found us right before we took off after you. I've already sent a reply back with the bird to Master Mishna Hrysto Cryff so it won't have to fly so far back. He'll know what to do."

Gwendal frowned and immediately Hube was beside him with a still lit torch and as he read through the message, the grove between his eyes that he had no idea had been missing since he heard Kagome's fairytale reappeared.

"Damn it." He cussed.

"What is it?" Kagome asked in concern and snatched the parchment from the taller mazoku when she saw he was finished reading and was now pinching the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger. She read through the contents and her eyes widened in understanding. "A dragon? And more traitors?"

Yozak's usual smile was gone. "Gunter thinks this little thing with the dagger was no accident. Dragon's blood can be used for dark magic. Question is; how dark will they go."

"That dragon…" she asked, paling up at the orange haired spy as she thought of the dragon her brother had once told her about. "It wasn't… Not Yuuri's…"

"We're not sure yet, my lady, but there is no reason to think it was one and the same," Hube immediately soothed her. "Gunter did not say but it happened several days ago; the smugglers may have already arrived in this country. Especially if they went through Suberera instead of Cabalcade like we did."

"Right," she calmed down slowly and breathed deeply before turning her eyes on the parchment again. "You said dragon's blood here is used for dark magic as well but Yuu-chan and Ken-chan had always told me they were hunted because their scales and claws make for very strong and powerful weapons."

"It is considered dark magic because dragons here are pretty much pure animals; purer even than unicorns," Gwendal thought he'd explain, gratified that he had her full attention again. "Taking their blood and using their heads in rituals have long been forbidden because all of them have been connected with evil majutsu. It was said that even Sousho himself has slain countless dragons to acquire the power he used to nearly take over the world… or at least that was what history tells us."

"Wow…" she breathed in awe of him and it took all of Gwendal's self respect not to preen. She then nodded thoughtfully. "We should hurry; I'm beginning to have a bad feeling about all this."

"With all due respect, I think we should rest first, my lady," Hube nodded to her slightly. "It will take another day before we reach Ichri without trespassing on Suberera. The horses will need rest."

She nodded sheepishly. "I agree. I'm sorry I just took off like that."

"It's alright, jouchan," Yozak grinned. "But that must have been quite an alarm to have you chasing off after that feeling. Was it really that urgent? You looked really scared."

She smiled back at him but her eyes were distracted now. "I don't know exactly what they were trying to do but it felt like a summoning. I just need the dagger to figure out what it was; I might be mistaken. At least I hope I was…"

The three mazoku looked back at one another in silent understanding before Yozak threw his arm over Kagome's shoulders, surprising the young woman. "Well then no use in worrying over it now. Let's start some dinner, shall we? I'm starved!"

"Oh, ah, sure!" Kagome squeaked.

As soon as she was safely out of hearing range, Gwendal turned to Hube. "By the way, wasn't Ichri rumored to have been Sousho's birthplace?"

"Yes," Hube nodded to him, seeming to have already thought about this himself. "But history has been wrong before, Your Excellency."

"Nonetheless we need to be careful," Gwendal said strictly. "The first chance we get, I want that dagger destroyed."

Hube bowed a bit to him. "Yes, Your Excellency."

Hube left him and Gwendal watched as his cousin went off to help Kagome and Yozak get some sort of quick dinner ready although his eyes stayed stuck on the young woman who was lighting up the clearing with just her presence. He couldn't deny the worry he felt at the possibilities already erupting in his mind. He needed to protect her. And as soon as he got hold of that dagger, he would destroy it himself. After all, that was friends are for…

Right?

No matter. She had acknowledged him as her friend now and he had accepted. She may not know the deep intricacies or the meaning behind his actions in Mazoku culture but it did not matter. For a friend and a loved one he would risk all. Even honor itself.

/****/

Shinou was in his usual spot in his temple, enjoying a conversation with Ulrike when he felt it. It was so wild and dark and horribly familiar that he suddenly stood up, surprising the young looking Genshi Miko.

"Shinou-heika, what's wrong?" Ulrike asked as soon as she was able to stand up from the floor.

"Did you feel that, Ulrike?" he asked, his tone like hissing steel. "That power just now?"

Ulrike knew better than to question her lord's instincts and senses so when she failed to understand what it was that the Original King was talking about, she closed her eyes and felt into her soul deeply to expand her senses. It took a while before she opened her amethyst eyes and gasped.

"Shinou-heika!" she gasped as she looked back at the deceased blond king. "That energy was—"

"Sousho…" Shinou growled in anger before turning blazing blue eyes at his head priestess. "Call Yuuri back here at once!"

"But, His Majesty—"

"_Do it_, Ulrike!"

Ulrike had no choice but to bow to him. "Yes, Shinou-heika…"

She then turned to call the other priestesses leaving Shinou alone with the boxes standing there as still as stone as his mind delved into what was going on. This can't be… Yuuri had already defeated him! How in the world could he come back?

Was Shin Makoku in danger once more…?

/****/

"What in the world are they doing?" Yozak asked in incredulity, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Kagome's party all stared wide eyed as they crouched low above a slope watching the proceedings below. They had travelled non stop, Kagome refusing to in her rush to get here as though she were being drawn. Not even waiting an hour inside the borders of the famed ruined city when Kagome had stopped them and glowed pink again before she led them towards the ruins of a historically familiar temple where they found a large assembly surrounding a group of twenty men in blue and white hooded robes and another man who seemed to be in charge of the ritual in the center of the ruined building. A large, red, viscous looking cloud was slowly, but surely forming over the entire assembly's head. The liquid seemed to be coming from the large vats surrounding the lone man in the circle of devotees with the infamous dagger in his hands emitting mysterious black smoke from itself.

The huge amount of Maseki they had seen at Cabalcade changed from their rainbow splendor to black and mixing themselves with the Houseki mixed in with them. And the energy coming from them now added to whatever force giving the dark item power judging from the energy literally enveloping the field. The altar it was made from had the severed dragon's head on it, it's eyes made to look up in the sky where its own blood flowed.

"What is this ritual for?" Hube asked now, an astounded look in his face.

Gwendal looked to a horrified Kagome when she failed to answer these questions. "My lady?"

Kagome stared wide eyed at the scene. She knew her companions couldn't hear it but she clearly could; from miles away even. It was he reason why she refused to stop despite the fact that might be practically killing the horses. It had taken them the whole day and half the night before they were able to even get close to the voice she had heard but there was no doubt what they were saying.

"The dagger…" she half whispered and all the men watching the proceedings stared back at her. It was the first time they heard her speak after they took off wildly and all of a sudden into the night once more. "It's telling that man what to do…"

"What do you mean?" Gwendal asked, his brow furrowing more deeply than usual.

Kagome fell back from the ledge and lay against the rock they were hiding behind, her cap hiding the rest of her face but the other could feel her anxiety."What they're doing is a summoning ritual of some sort but it also feels similar to the prayers that was used when part of my soul was stolen to revive Kikyou. I think they're trying to raise someone from the dead."

"_What_?" Yozak hissed back at her. "You can't raise someone from the dead, that's _impossible_!"

"Well Kikyou came back from the dead," Kagome answered distractedly. "She may not be fully alive but she's moving."

"Kikyou?" Hube asked, puzzled.

Yozak nodded at him. "Conrad told me about it before we left, I'll explain later."

"I can see a lot of ordinary Mazoku down there along with some human nobility," Hube told them, his eyes still trained on the assembly below. "But those men forming the circle are clearly human. The man at the circle… I think he's half Mazoku. I've dealt with him before but—"

"_What_?" Yozak turned back to the scene over the ledge with renewed horror which only increased as he confirmed Hube's findings. "Crap, that's Sylvestre Bran! What in the… He was supposed to have died in the battle of Luttenberg!"

"Well he looks more than alive to me," Gwendal muttered, peering down as well. He ran over the assembly to find some more familiar faces and noted some sanctuary guards and minor nobles along with Willaperht and his party. The Houseki seemed to be making them all shaky but with all the maseki around them, the weakness seemed tolerable to them. All the members watching the ritual were quite far from the actual proceedings lessening the effects of the maseki on their Mazoku members. However, nearest Sylvestre and the members doing the ritual, a head of strawberry blond hair caught the Mazoku general's attention. "It's Rolf."

"What?" Kagome immediately asked and leaned over the ledge again. "Where?"

He was standing with his head bared even as about four other members of the assembly rubbed elbows with him. He was staring intently at the ritual.

Hube and Yozak looked back at Kagome's crushed face.

"I'm sorry, jouchan."

She smiled sadly. "And he was such a great guy too…"

Hube unexpectedly placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see him smiling softly at her. "It's not your fault."

Gwendal watched her smile back at his cousin from the corner of his eye and again felt that little stab in his gut at the action. He forced himself to believe it was anger since it was the most productive emotion in his arsenal at the moment and he needed to think of more important things even though all he wanted to do was go down there and break Rolf apart for making her smile dim like that.

Such as what in the world were they trying to summon down there.

Suddenly something happened. The cloud was dissolving slowly, coating the ground within the 350 m circle like rain only slower.

"It is starting!" they heard Sylvestre shout. "Our lord is here!"

Kagome's party stared down at the assembly who had all looked up to see the rain of blood falling down on them, hands upraised in celebration and praise. That momentary distraction seemed to have been a trigger of some sort because, the moment everyone seemed too distracted about the rain, the saw Rolf throw his white hooded blue robe aside to reveal a sword at his side which he quickly unsheathed. He then shocked everyone by rushing towards Sylvestre Bran, screaming and burying the sword in his chest.

Another scream from the assembly fanned out.

"What in the world—?" Yozak and Hube sat up.

"What's going on?" Hube asked, equally confused.

Even as they watched they saw the other four hooded people surrounding Rolf earlier remove their hoods and Kagome's party continued gaping.

"That's…"

"Adelbert!"

"And Alford Markina!"

All four watched as Adelbert, Alford and two of Rolf's aides fought to keep the enemy away from Rolf who had continued to drive Sylvestre into the altar he was using earlier, making him drop the infamous knife.

"_Traitor_!" Rolf shouted from the din around him as he drive his blade deeper into his stomach. "Filthy, cowardly _traitor_!"

"You're too late!" Sylvestre screamed and laughed crazily up at the head of the von Grantz family even as he spewed blood. "He will come back from the dead and he will take over the world just as it should be! Shin Makoku will fall!"

"Bastard!" Rolf cried out, driving the sword deeper into the half Mazoku until he no longer moved, his blood coating the ground.

From their vantage point, Kagome could see the hoard coming down on Rolf and his companions like a large tidal wave.

"Oh no!" Kagome forgot they were supposed to be hidden. "That can't be good!"

"Jouchan—"

"We need to run down there and help Rolf and the others!" she cried out, standing up with her bow and arrows.

"You are staying here!" Gwendal snapped as he pulled her back from the ledge before she could jump off.

"What? Why?" she wailed in dismay. "You can't expect me to just sit here and watch while you fight out there! I can at least give you long range support!"

"I can't take the chance of those morons tracing the arrows back to you and let them take you hostage!" he snarled back at her. "All we're going to do is to run down there, get Rolf and his party and come back up here!"

Gwendal almost groaned at the stubborn twist her delicate mouth was taking. From the few days he had travelled with her he knew there was almost no reasoning with her when she was in this mood. "I am _not_ abandoning my friends!"

"You trust me right?" he asked, suddenly glowing with abrupt inspiration. "Don't friends trust each other?"

Her eyes widened in incredulity. "You can't use that argument on me!"

"_Please_, Kagome," he begged this time. "Trust me. We'll come back with Rolf _and_ the dagger!"

She gritted her teeth at him for several moments before she looked away, defeated. "Fine. But the first sign you guys are in trouble, I'm jumping in."

"Thanks." Then, unsheathing his own sword and jumped over the ledge, allowing his feet to slide him down the slope with apparent ease before running to join his comrades into the fray. Resolutely promising himself she will not have to step on this battlefield.

Yozak rumpled Kagome's head affectionately as he smiled distractedly. "We'll see you later, jouchan."

"My lady, please don't move here until we have returned." Hube bowed a little to her before and his orange haired partner jumped down to join their commander in battle.

But this did not ease Kagome's worries. Sure she didn't mind staying behind out of the way while they bashed some heads together; she never did acquire that cold bloodlust for killing like Inuyasha insisted she get all throughout these years in the Feudal Era but when she saw Sylvestre's blood getting mixed into the ground even as the blood rain fell she knew this was not going to end well.

From experience she knew for a fact that Weird Ritual + Dark Magical Item + Human Blood = Not Good. The most difficult thing was she wasn't really sure what the purpose for the ritual was. If she knew then she would be able to think of a way to stop it and nip it in the bud!

On the battlefield, Rolf, his two aides, Adelbert and Alford had their backs to each other as they waited for the next wave to come down on them. When they cooked up this plan they were prepared to die but they never said they were going down without a fight. So they were somewhat surprised when, as the enemy closed in, harsh cries of pain sounded off from the enemy's flank.

"What's going on?" Alford yelled to them as he fended off three men who got too close to them.

"I don't know!" Adelbert called back. "But something is attacking from the back!"

The next wave gradually thinned until a familiar orange haired spy came to their view and winked when he got close enough to greet them.

"Yo, Lord von Grantz," Yozak greeted them with his good natured smile. "You led us through quite a chase."

A series of slashing was heard in Yozak's far left and soon, as if in slow motion, five more men had fallen to the ground. Geigen Hube Brischella nodded at them from where he stood.

"Sir Hube!" Rolf called out to him in awe and respect.

And then Hube nodded out towards the direction off to their very far right where almost a dozen soldiers lay unmoving on the ground; the calm, dignified form of Lord Gwendal von Voltaire standing there calmly. The red rain that won't stop pouring making him soak in the crimson liquid and, unlike Yozak and Hube, gave him the image of a god of war…

He then calmly strolled towards them making Rolf and his two aides instinctively stand straight in attention, remembering their days in the service with this man as their commanding officer.

"Rolf von Grantz." Gwendal stated calmly, his tone laced with stern authority.

"Sir!" Rolf replied stiffly in a shout.

"We will talk later after this."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

The three joined the circle and drew their swords to fight another battalion sent down by military seemingly brought by the humans. Even the Mazoku who were part of the assembly had decided to join in the carnage to fight Gwendal and the others.

"Just like old times, isn't it, Gwendal?" Adelbert called with a smirk.

"Hn." Gwendal merely replied before rushing back into the fray.

Kagome watched from the ledge as Rolf's party and Gwendal's party clashed with warriors from the assembly human and Mazoku alike who dared attack them. For the moment they seemed to be having the upper hand. But she also knew that they have been travelling all night long and they must not have enough strength to keep this up. Especially with them so near such a large amount of Houseki. She was about to disobey and join in the fray by firing some arrows when she saw the fourth volley coming for them and she noticed the bloody rain caused by the ritual had stopped. Then, suddenly, the earth shook, making both parties stop their battles and look at the bloody ground they were standing on in surprise and alarm.

"What the…" Yozak trailed off as he stared at the now blood soaked ground. A few more minutes and he was overcome with shock when a rotting hand shot out of the soil and took hold of his ankle. "EHHH?"

"GAAAHHH!"

Yozak looked up and saw a human soldier in the same position he was in but the hand from the ground was soon followed by a grotesque body which then continued to pull at the human's leg until they were both buried underground.

Quickly hacking off the hand and jumping back, the orange haired spy took a look around and saw others in a similar situation. Even Kagome on the ledge paled when, one by one, bodies no— corpses rose from the ground and started attacking people and tearing them apart. It was like a scene from a nightmare!

She then suddenly realized and understood just what it was Sylvestre was trying to do.

Maniacal laughter boomed out into the night air and they looked to see a rusty haired old man surrounded by guards staring them down mockingly at the far end of the circle surrounded by guards. "You'll never get away now, you meddling fools! This is the power of our human lord! Now that Sylvestre is dead I will be controlling my lord's servants and I will be the new lord of this world! Shin Makoku will _perish_!"

But his speech was cut off at the scream of one of his guards. They all turned and saw one of the monsters holding one of his guards down and was already ripping his arm off to feed on it; the other monsters, though slow, were closing in to partake of the feast as well.

"Your Highness!" the captain of his guard called out shakily and attempted to steer the man away. "We need to leave!"

The rusty haired man merely stared at the carnage taking place as a few more unlucky fellows have fallen prey to the beasts in horror. "No… What happened to my plans…?"

"Your Majesty—"

"No!" the man slapped the guard who was trying to grab a hold of him. "This can't be happening! Not now! Not when I'm so close! Not now that we have finally found the power we have been searching for all this time!"

"We need to leave, Your Highness," the guard shouted instead despite his stinging cheek. "These creatures are too strong and they are not listening to you! Suberera still needs you; we need to get you to safety!"

"Then get the dagger! I won't leave without it!" the Suberera king screamed and rushed towards the forgotten weapon in crazed desperation.

The other members of the assembly, particularly the women and nobles who were too overconfident merely stood there despite the shouted warning; but when they saw what happened to the people that had been reached by the monsters they had started to flee in terror leaving Gwendal's and Adelbert's party alone to face the growing hoard of the undead still popping out of the earth and trying to grab hold of the closest body of warmth they could find.

Surrounded, the eight warriors found themselves in a bind. Although they each still had the strength to cut down their opponents, the fact that they could still stand after being dismembered or run through surprised them and threw them off balance.

"Damn it!" Yozak shouted. "Why won't they die?"

"What are they?" Hube asked quietly as he hacked another monster in half but was shocked when both lower and upper parts of its body still continued to move.

"There's so many…" Alford said, slashing through another body and jumping away to prevent contact from another one. "We're surrounded!"

Just then, though, a whistling sound surrounded the area as well as a tingling on the back of every Mazoku's neck. They watched in utter amazement as the wall of monsters preparing to pounce on them were purified to ashes at the pass of a pink covered arrow.

They weren't given enough time to admire the destruction that just happened when they heard Kagome's voice cry out to them. "Gwendal! Set a barrier up as wide as you can!"

Gwendal didn't know why but the moment he heard her voice he immediately knelt to the ground and flattened his palm against it, erecting a barrier around the circle of warriors just as a power laden arrow with a familiar maseki stone tied to it buried itself in front of them. He knew he would never be able to make a strong barrier and wondered at his reflexive obedience of Kagome's wishes but then noticed something else. At that moment, the group was then surrounded by a pink bubble that prevented the monsters from touching them. The ones who dared immediately turned into dust.

Every one of the men inside his barrier blinked in shock as they held on loosely to their swords.

"W-what is this—"

"Don't touch it!" Gwendal ordered roughly at one of Rolf's guards who had tried to touch the pink shield. "Kagome! Don't you dare come down here!"

"I'm fine!" She called back and they followed her voice to see the soukoku girl on top of the ledge they had previously used as a hiding place; she was waving over to them, bow at the ready and hair in her cap, her baggy clothes whipping around her form as she stood framed against the waning crescent moon. "Don't try to get out of the barrier; it'll keep you safe from them!"

"Kagome? You mean _Lady_ Kagome? What the— It can't be…!" Rolf asked angrily as he recognized whose power he was feeling around him. "What is she talking about? Doesn't she know she'll be their next target if they can't get to us? Is she insane?"

"She?" Alford asked the strawberry haired lord in confusion. "Isn't that Yuuri? Why are you calling him Kagome?"

"Get down!" Kagome's shout cut through to them, ruining any chances of Alford getting an answer and another arrow whistled through the air flaring and shining like a pink comet.

The men watched as the arrow plowed through the monsters and turned them to ash as the projectile passed through them. It leveled the field in one blow and cleared the area around them. She took this as an opportunity to slide down the slope and run towards them.

"Guys, are you alright?" she panted from outside her barrier as soon as she reached them.

Gwendal glared at her. "I told you to stay there!"

Kagome glared back. "Well I'm sorry; it's not like I enjoy watching all of you almost _die_!"

"Uh, jouchan; I think you need to turn around…!" Yozak told her urgently.

She did so and found another wave of the undead making their way towards her. It was like a scene from a very popular zombie movie.

"Stay right there and don't move!" she turned to them strictly and her face clearly meant business. "This barrier works two ways, it can fry them if they try to touch you and it can fry you if you step out. The maseki on the arrow is acting as a medium so my powers won't dust you guys up but only if you stay put. You understand?"

Most of the men nodded at her blankly except for Gwendal who continued glaring and Rolf who can't stop gaping at her. She ignored this and stood inside the circle Sylvestre had occupied earlier as he did the ritual. Kagome could feel the energy from the ritual crawling up her legs like cold fingers. Shivering, she glanced at the tainted maseki. She nodded and decided to try out her theory.

"My lady!" Hube shouted at her and she heard a zap and a grunt telling her he must have tried getting out of the barrier.

She turned around and saw the zombies closing in on her.

Nodding to herself, she reached the altar made entirely out of tainted Maseki and Houseki and injected her powers into it. Pouring everything she had she kept on purifying the stones and, before long, it started a chain reaction. A few moments later and she was ready.

Before triggering the circle she walked back to her companions and surprised them when she took the arrow out of the ground, freeing them from her barrier. "Let's go!"

They all took off, running towards the ledge, the men hacking through the monsters that tried to reach for them as they passed and making sure they kept Kagome in their circle. Somehow, they managed to climb up the slope where their horses were kept and where they had a good view of the horror that had just imploded through the greed of their kind.

"Shinou-heika…" one of Rolf's aides whispered, "We're all doomed…!"

"Let's go," Gwendal ordered as he turned away to get his horse. "We need to report this to the castle and make preparations for war."

"Wait, I'm not through yet." Kagome separated from them and stood on the ledge, her bow and arrows at the ready. Her whole body was pouring with so much holy energy all of a sudden the Mazoku around her fell to their knees in surprise. They could only stare as the baseball cap was knocked off her head and the flowing ebony curtain of her hair floated around her face. "Everyone, stay back!"

"Jouchan—"

"Stay. Back." Was all she said before releasing another arrow.

This time, however, the projectile had so much of her powers in it that it looked like a huge pink star was descending on the now cursed land. They watched as it landed straight in the center of the circle where the ritual commenced, acting as a trigger and turning the rest of the zombies that were still pouring out of the ground into ashes and purifying both Houseki and Maseki in the area. The lines that made up the circles glowed pink and started a chain reaction delivered over to the circles outside each ring.

The light exploded upwards and the whole area shone like a large, glowing pink tower the men was sure could have been seen by the neighboring countries around Ichri. After a whole fifteen minutes the light faded.

And finally it was quiet again.

Kagome sighed in relief and allowed herself to fall in exhaustion and slumped down on the ground; dead tired; not caring that her cap had fallen off or that her raven black hair was spread out around her head like a silky halo.

"_My lady_!"

"Just let me… stay here… for a while… please…" she panted with her eyes closed; not caring the she was vulnerable at that moment.

"That was incredible…!" one of Rolf's guards said in awe. "I've never seen such power! I bet it could even match that of the Maou!"

"Shut up," his counterpart snapped at him in a whisper. "Do you want to get hung for treason? No one's stronger than His Majesty!"

"But how do you explain _that_?"

Gwendal hissed as he knelt to the ground and picked Kagome up after he felt her powers withdrew and after he had managed to gather enough strength to stand up on his own. He was about to scold her but was caught by surprise when she turned and snuggled against his chest like a kitten looking for comfort.

"Gwendal…" he heard her whisper.

"What?" he asked gruffly, knowing it was useless to scold her now.

"Please don't be mad…" she whispered slovenly to him and clutched at the front of his greatcoat, not even opening her eyes. "I just didn't want… to lose… my friends…"

And with that she fell unconscious.

Gwendal could only marvel at the wonder that was the female creature in his arms and how good she felt this close to him. Her weight was like a reassuring warmth that told him everything would be alright...

"She shouldn't have come here!" Rolf's harsh voice cut through his musings.

He caught himself when he was reminded that he was not alone and he glared at the younger Mazoku before asking his question. "What is going on, Rolf? What was so important that you would risk being branded a traitor and hunted by your own kind?"

The strawberry haired lord stood proudly and met his eyes as he answered calmly. "Sousho."

/****/

From another ledge across from theirs, a figure of a man watched them, his robes of blue and white flew in the wind as he narrowed his eyes on the girl who had so effectively foiled all the carefully made plans that took them years in the making.

And yet she may also prove to be their salvation.

He needed a way to use that girl's power…

He needed to know more.

His robes whipping around him, he turned around to head home. He had some planning to do.

/****/

"I don't understand," Higurashi Aki began, a little bit dazed and earning a softening look from Yuuri's eyes as he sat beside Murata on the living room couch across from her. "I thought… everything was alright between her and Inuyasha…? When she came back after defeating Naraku four years ago she was so happy… I mean I knew there were times when she had been a little strange but I thought it was just because of all the preparations and the complete 180 she had to take to get into college with you and Ken-chan…"

Yuuri frowned and sighed at this. It wasn't surprising that Kagome would hide what was really happening to Aunt Aki; he knew he would do the same if he were in her position. Kirara, who seemed to have become enamored of him, mewled comfortingly from his right shoulder.

"It's not for me to tell you, you'll have to ask her yourself about the details," he told her quietly. "But she was hurt, Obaue, she was hurt badly. And I will _never_ forgive him for it."

"Does this have anything to do with Kikyou?" the older woman asked a bit hesitantly.

Aki knew that although Kagome's descriptions of her adventures in Sengoku Jidai were exciting she had no doubt they were heavily glossed over to try and not make her worry. It was one of the reasons why Aki was so supportive of her daughter and bought her everything she needed for her trips. It was the only way she could support her since she won't be able to go there and protect her daughter in person.

Yuuri, on the other hand, scowled when he heard the name. "How much do you know about her, Obaue?"

Aki fought for calm and folded her hands on her lap demurely as she faced the young men from her chair. "I know that she was the first woman Inuyasha loved."

"Did you know that she's alive because someone stole a piece of Kagome's soul just to keep Kikyou walking?"

"What?" Grandpa Higurashi jumped up from the lotus position he was in, his old, wrinkled skin paling. "Her soul?"

"That's right," Yuuri scowled at him. "Kagome is walking around with a broken soul because she thought having Kikyou alive would make Inuyasha happy."

There was nothing both elder Higurashi could say. It was pretty much Kagome's M.O. to be so selfless but they never knew she would give this much this far for just one man.

"How long has it been since she lost her soul?" Grandpa finally broke the silence following Yuuri's words.

"Papa?" Aki asked the older man, surprised at the odd tone in his voice. "What is it?"

"I may look like an old fool to all of you but even I know how painful it is to lose a part of your soul," the old man said with a frown. "It's the kind of pain that made you want to fill it in any way possible and would make you act in ways you would otherwise not. It is an emptiness that knows no fulfillment or satisfaction and the pain of it would be so acute it can be called physical. Kagome may be experiencing dark urges to hurt and hate."

"No, Kagome has never experienced them," Yuuri blinked at the old man who had always scared him as a child and thought about his words. Was Kagome really suffering like that? If do then she was doing a damn good job at hiding her agony. He should watch her carefully when he got back. "If anything, she's even more giving. It's Kikyou who's always trying to kill her. It's as if the darkness of her soul was sucked out and all that was left was her purity. It's the reason why I'm going to keep her in Shin Makoku for a while. I want her to forget all about Inuyasha. If she does then she may not have to go back to the Feudal Era any longer."

"Not go to the Feudal Era anymore?" Aki sounded alarmed.

"Wouldn't it be better that way, obaue?" Yuuri asked, confused. "I mean, it's dangerous for her to keep on going there!"

"Oh it's just…" Aki sighed before continuing and looking Yuuri directly in the eye. "Yuu-chan, believe me when I say that nothing would make me happier than to have her stop going to the Sengoku Jidai. If I had a penny for every time she came home bleeding and injured I would be a wealthy woman… But I respect my daughter. She feels she has a duty to return and I am proud that she has developed such a sense of responsibility."

"But the jewel is complete, Aunt Aki," Yuuri protested quietly. "She has no reason to go back."

The room was again filled with silence as Aki processed what her nephew had said. Technically she knew Yuuri was right. Kagome herself had told them that the jewel had been completed which meant she had fulfilled her obligations. Sure she still went to the Sengoku Era but that was purely just to check on her friends. But Aki couldn't help but feel that her daughter still had things she had left unfinished on the other side of the well. Sure she didn't know what they were but her heart told her so.

But did she really want to stop Yuuri from trying to get Kagome to heal?

"So let me get this straight," Souta glared at his older cousin and was now wearing a decent pair of khaki short pants and his favorite yellow and blue green soccer jersey shirt. He had been listening just behind his mother all this time and resentment flared in his eyes even as he hid his concern for his sister. "You don't like how it's going on over with her and Inuyasha in the Feudal Era so you're practically keeping her hostage in Shin Makoku?"

The soukoku king sweatdropped. He was dreading this part of the conversation. Souta had always been creepily similar to Shouri whenever it suited him and it doubled over ever since their parents told them about Kagome's adoption. "Well… yeah, that's basically the idea."

If anything, Souta looked like he had had enough so he exploded. "ARE YOU INSANE?"

Yuuri winced. Souta always had a decent pair of lungs on him. "I'm doing what's best for her."

"So you KIDNAPPED her?"

Yuuri shot a glare at Murata who was calmly sipping tea. _Feel free to barge in any time now, jerk!_ "Ehe he he… kidnapped is such a strong word—"

"You have no right to take her like that!" Souta stepped forward angrily. "You don't own her! You're nothing but a stranger who came in one day spouting all that nonsense about us being related!"

Now Yuuri had enough. "Hey, she's _my_ sister too!"

"Like heck she is!"

"Kagome is _my_ sister!" Souta snarled at him, his ebony eyes sparking like flints. "I was there before she knew you even _existed_!"

"Well she's _my_ twin!"

"Well she doesn't look anything like _you_, loser!"

"Haven't you ever heard of fraternal twins, brat?"

"No, but I know a douche when I see one!"

"Souta!" Aki immediately scolded her son, shocked at his use of language.

Two pairs of deep ebony eyes glared at each other in the Higurashi living room even with a sleeping kitsune and a curious nekomatta owlishly blinking up at them while Grandpa Higurashi quietly contemplated his granddaughter's lost soul. This was the reason why Yuuri hated arguing with Souta. It hurt him that his younger cousin held such bitterness towards him and the rest of his family.

"How can you just sit there and let him kidnap Kagome, Mom?" Souta angrily asked his mother.

"For the last time I am _not_ kidnapping her, she's my sister for the love of Kami!"

"She's _my_ sister first!" Souta snarled back at him. "We were doing fine before you even _came_ to the picture! You shouldn't even have the right to come near her!"

"I love her!"

"_Shut up!_"

"Souta–"

He ignored his mother.

"I know more than you think about her!" he yelled back at his older cousin. "You weren't there when she fell apart in front of the Goshinboku in the middle of winter crying her eyes out! You weren't there when she got sick with worry for him! She _loves_ Inuyasha!"

"Well obviously you don't know enough about her to understand that _he_ doesn't love her back!"

"That's a lie!" Souta shouted back but there was uncertainty in his eyes this time.

Inuyasha was his hero! He promised he would protect Kagome! Yuuri _must_ have been mistaken; he _must_ be!

"Souta, that's enough!" Aki quietly demanded in a tone that demanded obedience from her children.

Souta shut up but not without a rebellious pout and another glare at Yuuri.

Higurashi Aki sighed. It was no secret to her how Souta had felt bitter and resentful towards Yuuri ever since the adoption was discovered and she couldn't help but notice how her son clung to Kagome tighter especially whenever Yuuri and her sister's family were around. As though he were afraid that they would take Kagome away and never bring her back. To be truthful she had had the same fears even though she had tried hard to bury them so she was relieved when Kagome to stay at the shrine and not move in with her sister Miko and Shouma. She loved Kagome like her own. To her there _was_ no adoption. As far as she was concerned she gave birth to her.

But seeing her sister and the rest of her family with Kagome she knew that they love her and respected her decisions about staying a Higurashi. Yuuri alone could move mountains with his love for her and she couldn't blame her nephew. Because Kagome would do the same for him. So it took her completely by surprise when he said he was going to have Kagome stay in Shin Makoku with him until he decided she had gotten over Inuyasha.

Aki knew Kagome and knew she would not be happy with this decision; she was far too independent. She supported that independence but she also wanted to make her happy. And she also knew Kagome was too selfless to think about that.

"Will you keep her safe?" she began to ask Yuuri quietly.

"MOM?" Souta shouted as he turned shocked eyes at his mother.

Yuuri nodded to her solemnly. "I swear it on my life."

Aki nodded and smiled tremulously at her nephew.

"Fine!" Souta snapped and turned back to Yuuri. "Then I'm coming with you!"

Yuuri then began to sweat. "O-oh no, Souta, I don't think—"

"Why not?" the younger boy asked menacingly.

"W-well you see—"

"M-mama…"

At the small sound from the figure from beside Aki the room plunged into silence and everyone turned to the small couch where a small fox demon lay.

"Oh! He's waking up! Yuu-chan! He's awake!" Aki jumped excitedly and kneeled beside the couch to look at the fox kit her daughter had adopted and mentioned so fondly.

At the sound of the unfamiliar feminine voice, Shippou's eyes shot open and he sat up, taking on his surroundings instinctively, momentarily frightened until the scent that pulled him to consciousness hit his senses again and reached him through his panic, calming him down.

He looked up and stared at the smiling face of an older woman who had his mother's scent on her and his tension lessened. He sniffed carefully but there was no indication that they had his mother's scent because of violence and there was no scent of a struggle either. There was another scent that seemed familiar to him…

"Ah, you're awake!"

Shippou blinked and looked up at the face of the familiar scent and his face split into a wide grin. "Ojiue!"

Shippou immediately threw himself into Yuuri's arms, noting that Kirara was already resting on the Maou's shoulder. Yuuri hugged the small kitsune tightly in his arms. "Hey there, Shippou."

Noticing that his mother's scent was strongest on his uncle's person, he immediately pushed himself away and looked up into his face. "Mama! Where's my mama? I want to see my Mama!"

Yuuri's face softened before he kneeled down and patted the teary young demon on top of the head gaining its attention. "I'll take you to your Mama but first, I want to know how you were able to cross the well, Shippou."

"Eh?" and that was when things hit Shippou in the face.

He looked around him once more and saw the unusual surroundings, the unusually dressed people and the scents he had only been able to get a whiff of from his mother whenever she came back from the future… But it couldn't be! Could it?

"B-but…" he stuttered as he looked around at the older women who had been beside him when he woke up and then at the younger version of her who was looking back at him with curiosity but glaring at Yuuri every chance he got. And then there was the old man who appeared to be… twitching? On the sofa, he found his uncle's friend waving at him cheerfully as though this was the most ordinary thing in the world and when he looked back at Kirara, she gave him a nod of confirmation. "It's never allowed any of us to cross except for Inuyasha! I know; I've tried before! How could this have happened?"

"You mean you don't know?" the youngest boy in the room asked in disappointment.

Shippou clung to Yuuri as he shook his head. "Nu uh."

"It doesn't matter," Yuuri announced, his hand placed around Shippou's shoulder in comfort. "Maybe your mother would be able to explain this better than anyone else can."

"Hold on _right_ there!" Souta suddenly flared. "How come he can come but I can't?

Shippou heard his uncle release a long suffering sigh before answering. "I already told you, Souta, it's dangerous."

Shippou blinked. This was his Uncle Souta?

"I'm a big boy; I can handle a little danger!"

"Look, Souta, I travel through time and space, do you have any idea how dangerous that's going to be?" Shippou sniffed at the scent of his uncle fibbing a little but wisely kept his mouth shut. It's the law of a trickster to never spoil a trick, after all. "I'm confident I can take Shippou, Kirara and Murata back with me because we already have some type of demonic power in us. You're human! If something happens to you Kagome will _kill_ me!"

"What?" Shippou looked up at Yuuri again, his soft voice catching the family's attention again. "You mean my Mama's not here?"

Yuuri smiled at him reassuringly. "She's in my other home; we'll see her there so I'll need you to be a good boy; alright?"

"…alright."

Souta was beyond angry now. "I don't care; she's always alone! She's always out there risking her neck and I can't do a thing about it! I'm not going to stand by anymore and watch! _I demand that you take me to my sister!_"

Yuuri stopped at this, a bit stunned by the realization. He and Souta were thinking the very same thing.

He can't be angry at him now. "Look, Souta, if Kagome hasn't been telling you half the things I've told you so far then that means she has a reason and she doesn't want you to know. We both know how unbelievable stubborn she can be, it's the only reason why I've dragged her back to Shin Makoku with me. If I left her here, did you really think she'd change her opinions?"

Souta pouted and glared at his older cousin but he saw his point (unfortunately). He hated to admit it but Yuuri knew far more of Kagome and her adventures than he did and would be more equipped to help her. It was one of the things he hated about their relationship, after all. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

"You owe me a rubber ducky, loser."

Yuuri smiled and nodded, knowing he finally had his younger cousin's approval. "Of course. Come on, guys, we need to get back."

"Alright," Ken set his cup down and bowed to the elder Higurashi. "Thank you very much, the tea was wonderful!"

"Please take care of my niece and nephew, Ken-chan." Aki replied.

"Will do, Auntie!"

"Oh, wait a second!" Grandpa Higurashi got up and went to the linen closet and retrieved a large, over stuffed yellow bag from it and started dragging it over to Yuuri and the others. "She was supposed to take this on her next trip to the Feudal Era, there might be some things in there that she might need."

Yuuri reached down and took hold of the bag gratefully. "Thanks, Grandpa."

But as both the old man and young Maou reached over the coffee table to hand over the bag, Grandpa accidentally tipped Ken-chan's teacup over making the leftover tea spill under Yuuri's feet. And if that wasn't enough to elicit the gasps around them, the puddle around Yuuri suddenly sucked him in like a whirlpool still holding onto Shippou and the bag.

"UWAAAHHH!"

"Shibuya!" Ken cried and jumped after him, catching Kirara who had flown off Yuuri's shoulder at the sudden incident. His worried voice was genuine.

And soon it was quiet in the Higurashi household once again.

"Wow." Souta blinked twice. "I'm actually glad he convinced me to stay."


	15. Chapter 15

**A.N**.: Please forgive me for the delay; I kinda lost Chapter 15 in my office email and couldn't find it so after venting on a new story I finally was able to pull myself into writing another draft of the chapter. I still think my original draft was better but I hope you'll find this tolerable. Thank you so much!

Oh yeah, I'm thinking of changing the title of this fic since the ideas popping in my head are taking me to a whole different direction now. I'm thinking of naming it 'One Pure Wish' since Shades of Black no longer seems appropriate. What do you guys think?

**Orihime-chan** thanks for the support!

Happy Reading! ^^

**Chapter 15**

Sesshoumaru lord of the Western Lands surveyed the village just beyond Inuyasha's forest with his usual stoicism and took a delicate whiff of the fresh spring air. The faint whiff of the being he was looking for was faint and he knew there was a possibility that she won't even be in the village but he needed to share the information he had with him. He needed to get Rin her new kimono as well.

With Ah-Un faithfully following behind him, he continued on to the human village heedless of the worthless humans who eyed him nervously and bowed to him in respect as he passed by. They were all now used to the comings and goings of the feared demon assassin. To him they were of no significance. Only two beings held any importance to him right now and it was merely by coincidence that both of them resided in this village.

Reaching the old miko's hut, he was greeted by Rin but he frowned slightly at the notable lack of her usual energy. At this he was not pleased.

"Welcome, Sesshoumaru-sama," she bowed to him as soon as she was three feet away. He was pleased that the Shikon no Miko had managed to teach Rin such manners although he would never admit that he missed how the child hugged his leg in her excitement whenever he appeared. Four summers had her growing taller and now the top of her head had almost reached his thigh. Still it would be some time yet before she would require a mate and tis relieved him to no end. "I missed you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Rin." Was his usual greeting. A word that said nothing and everything all at once and the child, as was expected of her, understood this immediately and she gave him a radiant smile. "Where is the living miko?"

Her smile faded and this caused no little worry for the demon lord. "What happened?"

Rin sniffled a little but then threw all her good manners to the wind and hugged his leg as she had done so many times so long ago when she was younger and still travelling with him all across Japan. "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, Shippou-chan told me something terrible!"

The kit? Sesshoumaru took another delicate sniff but found the barest scent of the kit lingering in the area. Has he left the village as well?

Rin kept crying. "He told me that Inuyasha-sama and Kikyo-sama had done something bad to Kagome-neechan and she got hurt! Shippou-chan said she was hurt so bad and she might never come back because Inuyasha-sama was so mean to her!"

What had his idiotic half brother done now?

"Greetings, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kaede hobbled out of her hut to stand a few feet away from him and Rin, respectfully allowing them their space. "May I ask why you are asking for Kagome?"

Sesshoumaru frowned but answered. "I have been perusing my library for an answer to the question she has posed to me a few months ago."

"Ah," Kaede's single eye glimmered knowingly even as she nodded solemnly at his words before speaking again. "This is about the Shikon and how to vanquish it, is that right?"

Sesshoumaru merely stared back at the human. His silence was answer enough.

Kaede nodded. "Aye, I know about it. Her quest to free Midoriko should be able to give her the strength to find the answer to her question. I believe you have already given her the answer to that question, though and she has told me she was ready to accept the consequences. Have you discovered another way that is less… morbid, my lord?"

Sesshoumaru stared straight at her, as still as a rock. "It is about something else. Something she needs to know."

Kaede's brows rose up at this. "Oh? May I have the honor of being held into your confidence then, my lord?"

Sesshoumaru produced an extremely old scroll from his sleeve and gave it to Rin who, in turn, ran to hand it over to Kaede. The old woman took the scroll from the little girl with a smile before opening it carefully with rheumatic hands and began to stare at the ancient script. Unfortunately it was written in a language she cannot understand.

She glanced inquiringly up at the demon lord. "I don't think I will be able to read this scroll, my lord, it is beyond my comprehension."

Sesshoumaru expected as much but did not miss a beat. "It is a scroll buried deep within my archives as I had my servants scan through it, searching for another way to make a pure wish. This particular piece tells of the priestess Midoriko's soul. It also tells how she came to be and why her soul was so powerful according to my ancestor's records. There were things about it that I could not decipher so I wanted her to look into it and explain these things to me."

Kaede nodded, impressed that the once stubborn, human hating Sesshoumaru would ask Kagome for help of all people. "If it is Kagome then I am sure she would be able to help you, my lord. However, as you can see she has not returned yet. Shippou tells me that something tragic has happened. He was dropped off here by Miroku a few days ago explaining to me how my sister's reanimated corpse had tried to kill her once again and how, oddly enough; Kagome was taken away by her brother. Shippou says he was very powerful and had defeated both Inuyasha and Kikyo before dragging Kagome off back to her time."

Sesshoumaru frowned a bit. He must admit that, although he was not out to kill Inuyasha anymore, he still took silent umbrage to the way he treated the living miko. The fact that the same living miko had declined his offers of protection in his brother's stead did not help this fact at all. Also he couldn't help but be intrigued at the mention of a powerful being that could have defeated Inuyasha and the undead miko he had taken for a lover. Was the living miko's brother a powerful monk?

A nod to Rin had the little girl taking the scroll from Kaede back to him. "Then if the miko is not here I will take Rin with me back to the castle. I trust no one but her to teach the child."

He waited for Rin to protest but the child remained silent. Obviously they were of the like mind in regards to Kagome.

Kaede nodded. "I understand, my lord. When Kagome comes back then I will make sure to send you word."

Sesshoumaru nodded and then, without a second glance, took off for the skies. Ah-Un happily took Rin on their back after she said her goodbyes to the old woman and then followed their master into the air, making quite a scene for the villagers to gawk at.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru never looked back at his charge but she knew him enough to know that he was listening and confidently went on. "Do you think Kagome-neechan will come back?"

It took a while and Sesshoumaru waited until he could no longer see even a speck of the village he left behind before answering the little girl. "She would wish to make sure the hanyou would be safe before she moved on. She will be back."

"I wish she didn't have to come back just because of Inuyasha-sama," Rin said sadly. "Every time she does all he would makes her do is cry. It makes Shippou-chan so sad so it makes me sad too."

The silver haired demon lord couldn't help but agree. But then again he wondered if her fate lay in the fact that the miko might not be completely human either if his ancestor's scroll was to be believed.

He would just have to see when she returned…

/***/

"Ohh… darn that hurt…"

Alford almost jumped out of his chair the moment the soft feminine moan sounded off beside him. It took him several moments to remember where he was and what situation he was in. The young warrior glanced at the occupant of the single bed he was guarding and tried to suppress a blush from his cheeks. He was just not used to be so intimately near females. Especially noblewomen if he were to believe what the Mazoku he'd been working with were saying earlier.

He watched as the young raven haired lady placed a palm over her eyes in an attempt to sooth whatever pain she was experiencing at that moment and he nervously stood up beside her bed to get ready and attend to whatever she needed.

"My lady?" Alford hesitantly called for her attention. "Is there anything I could get you? Would you like me to send for a healer?"

Alford watched as delicate fingers parted to allow one velvety black, half closed eye take a peek at him and, for the first time, the young holy sword user blushed under a woman's regard. There was just so much warmth in there despite her obvious pain that he just automatically reacted.

She allowed her hand to fall off her face and gave him a wry smile before speaking again. "You wouldn't happen to catch the plate number of that truck that ran over me, did you?"

Alford blinked at her in confusion. "P-pardon me…?"

She chuckled making his cheeks go redder. It was scratchy and oddly sensual and it felt like it was brushing softly over his skin. Alford backed up a step from her. Maybe Rolf was right; may be she was some sort of witch.

"I'm sorry, I was just messing with you," she apologized before wincing as she tried to get up. Too wary of her to want to come any closer, Alford just watched until she had herself propped up against the wooden headboard of the bed. Her warm, still sleepy ebony eyes looked around her before turning to him once more. "I'm sorry, my name is Kagome; what's yours?"

"Ah!" Alford immediately straightened and bowed to her slightly respectfully, trying desperately to remember how to act in front of royalty. From what he saw of the way Gwendal and the others treated this girl and from the fact that she was Yuuri's sister, she must be pretty important. He should give the best impression for the sake of his friendship with her brother. "My name is Alford Markina, my lady."

"Ah!" she clapped her hands in recognition. "You're Al!"

Surprised at the informality, Alford looked up at her delighted face, speechless.

Seeing the expression on his face, she shot him a wry smile. "Don't bother with the formalities, Yuu-chan's told me a lot about you already."

The young man flushed with pleasure. "Did he?" and then he stopped, looking away guiltily. "I apologize for the circumstances of my first meeting with your brother; back then the only excuse I had was-"

"Yuu-chan tells me you are a good friend and a true hero," she cut him off gently, making the young warrior raise his face towards her. "Thank you, Sir Markina, for taking care of my brother. I owe you more than you could possibly understand."

"Ah, no!" he seemed taken aback before he calmed down and smiled back at the young woman charmingly. "The honor was all mine, my lady."

"Kagome," she gave him a happy smile full of sincere warmth that had Alford's breath backing up into his brain. "Call me Kagome, please. I don't like formalities."

Alford's face lit up like a fire spell at the words. "Are you sure it would be alright to address the Maou's twin sister in such a way?"

Kagome scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Seriously, just call me Kagome. Anyway it's nice to finally meet you, Sir Markina. So, what did you do wrong to get stuck babysitting me here when it's obvious you'd rather be somewhere else and where are we anyway?"

Again, Alford flushed at the directness of her speech and the fact that she had read his earlier feelings so easily. "After the incident in Ichri you were glowing while you were sleeping and because of it, the others weren't able to touch you without getting hurt. Since I'm the only one who could I was asked to sit with you while you slept to make sure you were safe. We are currently in a town just inside the borders of Zorashiya and we have been resting here ever since."

Her eyes widened. "Geez, how long was I asleep?"

"Three days."

"No way!"

"Way."

"Eh?" Kagome blinked at him incredulously at his language. "Who taught you how to talk like that?"

"His Majesty the Maou and I have had plenty of conversations that included the word." He replied rather innocently. "He would respond in the same way whenever I used the words. I thought it would only be appropriate if I responded in a like way while speaking with you so as not to be rude since I figured it was a norm in wherever it is the two of you came from."

She surprised him by exploding into a fit of laughter so melodious that Alford couldn't help but smile himself. She had a nice laugh. All Alford could think about was staying right where he was and bask in the sound forever… Even if he couldn't understand what was so funny.

"Hey, hey, Alford, how selfish of you to hoard our jouchan's laughter all to yourself!"

At the sound of the light hearted reprimand, Alford nearly jumped from his chair for the second time that day. This time, though, his hand automatically reached for his sword and his eyes lit with the desire to protect his charge. He relaxed and flushed red at Yozak's mischievous smirk.

"Sir Gurrier, it is most polite to knock before entering a lady's chambers." Alford scowled at the half Mazoku, displeased at the interruption.

Yozak merely chuckled. "Now, now, Alford, no need to get upset. Although I did remember His Excellency Gwendal giving you specific instructions to tell us the moment Her Ladyship wakes up."

"W-well…"

"Stop teasing him, Yozak," Kagome scolded the orange haired spy gaining their attention instantly. "I distracted him too much with my questions and I just woke up so he wasn't able to tell you guys I'm awake. And why don't you tell me where you and the others have been all this time? Where is everyone anyway?"

"We're right here, little lady," Adelbert's deep voice engulfed the entire room as he stepped inside leading Gwendal and Rolf as well as Hube. She got a peek at Rolf's two aides standing guard on either side outside her door. "Welcome back to the world of the living."

"Gwendal, Hube, Rolf!" she looked up at them worriedly as they all stepped inside. "Are you guys alright? Was anybody hurt?"

Hube bowed to her, a warm expression and a slight smile on his face as he answered her. "We are all fine, my lady, you don't have to worry."

Yozak's grin was so wide Alford thought his face might split. "Of course we're alright, jouchan! It's you we were worried about! We couldn't get close enough to touch you these past three days while you were asleep."

She smiled at him tiredly before sitting up a bit more properly, Hube immediately moved forward to assist her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered back. Then her eyes found Rolf and she suddenly relaxed and smiled warmly at him much to the young Mazoku's surprise. "I'm glad you're all safe."

Alford watched as the young red haired Mazoku lord blush then step forward to kneel beside Kagome's bed on one knee; his proud, noble head bowed in a humble gesture to the young woman's obvious surprise. "My lady… Please forgive me; I would like to offer my sincerest apologies."

"Eh?" she cocked her head to the sight in what Alford thought was an adorable fashion as she watched the von Grantz lord beside her with a look of pure disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"I've failed you." He answered in a harsh whisper full of self condemnation.

"…Does this have something to do with the dagger finding itself in the hands of those people?" She finally asked after a few moments of silence flooded the room.

"…Yes."

She sighed before straightening and turning her full attention to Rolf. "Tell me what happened. What made you act alone and get in trouble like this?"

"That's what we would like to know too," Yozak mumbled as he moved to lean back against the closest wall he could find, crossing his arms over his broad chest at the same time. "We've been trying to get the full story out of him for days now but he says he wants to talk to you first. That and someone won't tell us anything either."

Adelbert shrugged, ignoring the look Yozak was shooting him. "Hey, it's not my story to tell."

"My mistakes have directly affected Her Ladyship in a manner that is unacceptable and the fact that she has saved my life even though I have showed her such blatant disrespect means I owe her more than I can ever repay. It is only right that I explain to her directly what happened."

Kagome nodded in understanding and Alford saw the way her face told everyone in the room that she was willing to keep an open mind about whatever Rolf was going to tell her. She looked so much like and yet different from the Mazoku king and he wondered how he was able to mistake her for Yuuri even at the distance and wearing boy's clothes. There was a rare wisdom in her ebony black eyes that shone with a warmth that felt like a mother's caress on the soul. It was odd to see on someone as young as her. "Go on, I'm listening, Rolf."

Alford wondered if this was what prompted Rolf to speak. "Right after I returned to von Grantz lands after meeting Your Ladyship at Blood Pledge Castle, I was met by a sentry along the way telling me with great urgency that they have spotted the men stealing the maseki from our mines. You see, for months now, we have noticed that quite a bit of the maseki we export all throughout the kingdom was being targeted in the most precise and alarming manner. I know I should have told Blood Pledge Castle about this and asked for assistance but I was too proud. I wanted to solve this problem by myself.

"Concerned I did not bother to return to our castle and went off to deal with the problem personally. I was not expecting a large group of Houseki users to be waiting for us in advance; they were deep inside the maseki mines harvesting what was in them. Most of my men were injured and lay unconscious because of my ill preparation. Since I was outnumbered I found myself soon without a weapon in my hand and was about to meet with a fatal blow. I tried using majutsu but their houjutsu outnumbered mine heavily. As one of them prepared to lay a killing blow on me with a houseki tipped staff I reached for the nearest weapon I could find… and that was the dagger my lady has entrusted in my keeping. With it I managed to stop the physical attack however, something strange happened all of a sudden.

"As soon as our weapons collided a strange black light sparked off in between the dagger and my enemy's staff. For some reason that strange light reached out and took away the colors of the maseki in the mines and turned them dark; black even, as though it were tainting them! And the houseki my enemies were carrying also had the same problem. It was then that they acquired an interest in the dagger. I tried to fight them off but it seemed as though their magic had increased a hundred fold since the maseki there got tainted and they managed to throw me around until I was unconscious. When I woke up the dagger was gone. And so were the maseki and the group who took them. I also found this piercing one of my comrade's limbs."

Rolf took out a long dagger from his belt and laid it on the floor for everyone to see.

Hube took a step forward and his single eye widened at the sight. "It's the Gautier crest!"

"It was then that I understood who some of the traitors were," Rolf continued at Hube's outburst. "Fueled with range and the desire to bring them to justice I sent word to Cousin Adelbert because I knew he was the only one I can absolutely trust at that point in time and he met me in Ichri. I wanted to find the traitor and retrieve the dagger. I also wished to know why they wanted it. It was only a little later when I found out what they were planning to do with it and the maseki they were stealing. It was hard to wait and observe when I wanted revenge but I knew I needed to find out more about the inner workings of this rebellion also knew that His Majesty would want to know the reason for their discontent. It was too easy to get in once they saw Cousin Adelbert with us."

Adelbert shrugged with a smirk. "What can I say? I've got a reputation. Rebellion factions love me."

"Err… I don't think that's something you should be proud of, Adelbert." Yozak sweat dropped.

"Well he was making all the decisions anyway. If he left everything up to me it would have ended up into a bloody massacre," They heard Adelbert mumble. "Meeting Alford along the way after I set out to meet Rolf was pure luck."

Alford nodded and noted the questioning looks the others were giving him. "I too was worried about the rebellion that was giving His Majesty Yuuri some trouble so I wished to help find out who among the humans were responsible for it when I happened meet Sir Adelbert on the road. He then explained to me what happened with Sir Rolf so I agreed to join them."

Rolf flushed at that.

"I wasn't really sure about the details but I do understand enough to recognize a resurrection ritual when I see one," Kagome nodded at them, already deep in thought and taking everyone's attention once more as a haunted look took hold of her eyes. "Who were they trying to resurrect?"

A heavy silence enveloped the entire room.

It was broken only by the deep baritone of Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, speaking for the first time he entered the room. "Sousho."

Alford glanced at the man warily, as always he was hit by the overwhelming desire to cringe at the intensity of this Mazoku's presence but something seemed different with the way he met the lady's gaze. It was as though the hard edges of his scrutiny were being softened by something else…

Ebony eyes lifted up to meet Prussian blue in disbelief. "The entity Yuuri defeated 4 years ago?"

"The same."

"But that's stupid!" Kagome protested. "I thought everybody was glad when Sousho disappeared! It was what paved the way for a bigger alliance with the human countries!"

"Apparently there were some sycophants who believe that they can attain Sousho's power for their own if they brought him back to life," Adelbert answered, disgust dripping from his voice. "From what we found out, Sylvestre Bran acted as a mediator between the humans and Mazoku who thought the same and made a cult of some sort some 24 years back after he was believed missing during the war."

"From what we have learned of him," Rolf continued his cousin's story. "He had always resented the fact that he was not able to use magic and wanted to become full Mazoku. He was obsessed with the magical arts and found the chance to study them further when he deserted the militia and moved into human territory. He believed that acquiring the power of Sousho would make him full demon or something more powerful."

"I see," there was an odd, sad little smile on Kagome's face when she heard that and it made everyone in the room curious. "There's always one in every crowd, huh?"

"My lady?"

"It's nothing; so this Sylvestre Bran was the brains of the outfit, now that you've gotten rid of him, doesn't that mean the problem is over? Why do I get the feeling that it isn't? Do you have— eh? What? Is something on my face?" Kagome's brows rose as she looked at the gaping face of the red haired lord.

Rolf seemed flabbergasted. "You- you aren't angry?"

Kagome blinked. "About what?"

"That—" he swallowed before pooling up his strength and trying again. "That I… killed a man."

They all watched as Kagome stared at his bowed head and everyone held their breath as she reached out to use her fingers to take hold of his chin lightly and make him meet her ebony black eyes that held an understanding they were not expecting. "I feel sorry that you had to do it, but can I really blame you? It's not something we can help at that point in time. He was crazed by power; that power was something you won't be able to let go of. He chose his path; don't let it get to you."

She let go of him but Rolf remained speechless.

Kagome smiled at him wryly. "What, you guys think I'll react like Yuu-chan? Sorry but I'm used to a much harsher environment than this but that's not important now. Back to the topic at hand, why are you guys still looking worried even after Bran's dead? Shouldn't the problem be over now?"

Alford wanted to ask her what she meant so badly but he refrained himself. The issue they were currently on was an international one and they needed to prioritize it among all others.

"During our observations of the cult Sylvestre seemed to lead we have found out that, despite all appearances he was neither the leader nor the founder of this cult," Rolf continued, still at a loss at her lack of offense that he had killed a man. "We don't have the entire information yet but we were told it was founded by a strange man under the protection of Suberera's king."

"Another person?" Kagome gasped. "Do you know who he is?"

"We have only ever heard his voice during the assembly leading up to the ritual, giving Sylvestre instructions," Rolf answered. "He has never appeared before us but the king of Suberera worships him like a god and has a lot of influence over his movements."

Alford already knew all this; he was there, after all, when they gathered all this information. So he focused all his energy into reading Kagome's face. Yuuri was easy, even if the words out of his mouth were oft unpredictable for a culture that has only known hate against his kind. With Kagome it was a little bit more difficult to figure out and he was heavily curious as to what she was thinking. The silence around them was thick while they allowed her space to think and at that moment, when Alford looked around again, did he realize that his curiosity of her was shared by the others. They were also comparing this young woman to the Maou.

"Where is the dagger?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Another silence, much more uncomfortable, invaded the entire room. She glanced up at them in worry. "Gwendal?"

"We're sorry, jouchan," Yozak replied quietly for the Mazoku lord. "But we couldn't find it. The king of Suberera must have made off with it when he escaped."

The horror on her face shone like a red light on everyone in the room and, before any of them could stop her, she stood up from the bed, ignoring the fact that she was now dressed in a flowing, shapeless dress in a traditional Zorashiya pattern that covered her from shoulder to foot completely; even her fingers were swallowed by the billowy sleeves. She stumbled as soon as she was on her feet.

"My lady!" Hube stepped forward in alarm.

But she held up her hand, stopping him from reaching for her before she stumbled over to the windows and opened them, holding her arms up to the gray sunshine outside she allowed a flurry of pink light to envelope her.

Alford wasn't sure but he was pretty confident that he wasn't the only one noticing and musing over how Kagome made the virtually shapeless dress look so… provocative. Her lovely swan like neck arched out, exposed by the dress as she lifted her face to the sky and her glistening raven black hair floated back on an invisible wind. Her pale hands were held out in a gesture of supplication and her eyes were closed making her dark lashes fan over her slightly flushed cheeks. The young human warrior knew he had never seen any other woman quite like her…

Also the power emanating from her soothed him, putting him into a most relaxed state of calm; but looking around he could see the agitated faces of the Mazoku around him. So it was true about what happened that night in Ichri, she did have the power to hurt Mazoku and yet she was soukoku herself. How odd…

"It's gone," she suddenly broke the silence and withdrew the pink light right into herself and her eyes opened wide in disbelief. "This is insane! How could it not be here anymore?"

Gwendal stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

She turned back towards them but stumbled at the sudden movement. She held onto the window ledge to keep herself from falling to the floor and steadied herself before answering. "The reason why I am able to trace that dagger freely was because, other than my powers, it's the only thing of its kind in this world. That means I should be able to tell where it is wherever it is but now… I can't! The only reason it could have disappeared is if it was either destroyed or found another source of power that can sustain it."

"Does it mean it was taken back by someone with a similar source of power?" Rolf asked, standing up in alarm.

"Or it could have been affected by your powers when you destroyed those monsters in Ichri." Adelbert offered cooly.

"I never took you for an optimist, Adelbert." Yozak smirked at him darkly.

The large blond merely shrugged with a smirk of his own. "I guess your boy king must be rubbing off on me."

"We need to speak to someone who knows a lot about this world's magic," Kagome spoke thoughtfully, cutting off their jibing. She looked as though she was speaking to herself. "I need more confirmation in order to figure out what the heck is going on. A lot of things are just not adding up.

"How in the world would anyone know how to summon zombies using the dagger's dark energy? How did they manage to know the spells and incantations? How did they know how to draw the resurrection circle?" she breathed. "Because I'm telling you guys right now that if Rolf did not interfere with the ritual and spilled human blood on that altar they would have been able to do whatever it was they wanted after it was finished."

"You mean…" Hube went a bit pale. "They would have been able to summon Sousho?"

"If they really are summoning him then there's a 90% chance they would have," Kagome nodded. "They wouldn't have managed to conjure up zombies of all things if they didn't know what they were doing!"

"You keep saying zombies," Alford couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Was that what they were called? Those monsters that rose from the ground and would not die by my sword?"

"Yes; they are extremely dark creatures," she continued, her eyes glowing in their intensity. "They walk but they don't breathe; they eat but they are never full. They eat living flesh and beings they wound have the tendency of becoming like them as well and defiling them like that is something only dark forces can accomplish. And for all I know the only person who has the power to even attempt something of the like in this world is Yuu-chan and he's nowhere near here. So I, for one, would love an explanation too."

Everyone couldn't help but shiver at her revelation especially Yozak who was actually touched by one of the beings. They found themselves lucky they were not wounded by the creatures. No wonder she explicitly refused to let them out of her barrier that night.

"You sound like your speaking from experience." Adelbert eyed her curiously.

"You can say that," she answered wryly. "My friends and I once had to fight a whole army of them… Extremely long story but let's just say they are not something you want to be around when you want to live. I'm sorry, have we met?"

The former Mazoku lord smirked at her slightly cocked face and Alford blushed even though the look was not directed at him. "Forgive me; I am Adelbert von Grantz."

"Oh!" her ebony eyes widened in realization. "Mr. Football Guy!"

Everyone in the room sweatdropped and blinked.

"Football… Guy…?" Adelbert quirked an eyebrow at her.

Kagome nodded cheerfully. "It's what Yuuri calls you. Wow, he's right; you're built like a linebacker! Hi, I'm Kagome!"

They all watched as Adelbert gaped at her for a few moments before throwing his head back in a hearty guffaw. "It looks like this trait runs in your family as well."

"Eh?" it was now Kagome's turn to look confused. "What?"

"Anyway, my lady," a slightly irritated looking Gwendal spoke; his forehead containing that ever darkening furrow. "Are you sure you wish to go back to Shin Makoku?"

"Yes, I would."

"No, my lady, we should set out and find the dagger!" Rolf protested, his bright blue eyes sparking with fire. "We cannot let a dangerous item like that loose in the hands of these humans who want nothing more than to destroy Shin Makoku!"

"We need to take you back to Shin Makoku as soon as possible, Rolf," Kagome told him gently, her ebony eyes filled with sincerity. "If we stall any further, the ten nobles will definitely think you're a traitor and hunt you down."

"Her Ladyship is right," Gwendal interrupted his voice as authoritative as ever and they all noted how his presence loomed over the entire room even with Adelbert's large built in it. Alford once heard that if anyone claimed any sort of right to the throne before the Maou it should have been Lord von Voltaire and he understood why now. The man reeked with the innate power of a ruler and every word that came out of his mouth had the ring of law. "Our main objective is to retrieve you and make sure you are given a fair and just trial in front of the Maou and his court. The fact that you have lost an item entrusted to you by the Maou's regent is a stain on your honor but for now that is not our priority."

"Then at least let me restore that honor!" Rolf cried out angrily. "Let me find the dagger and bring it back!"

"Rolf." Everyone turned to see Adelbert eyeing his cousin cooly. "My father and I named you as our heir in order to prioritize the good of the von Grantz family within the Maou's court, which means you can't act the way you want to anymore. You need to consider if this will be best for the family and the kingdom first before you act. Do you think rushing out into the wilderness after this dagger will save the von Grantz family?"

Rolf stood there angrily and eyed his cousin rebelliously but then, after a few moments, his shoulders slumped and he heaved a great sigh. "I understand."

Adelbert then smirked and ruffled his strawberry blond head at this response. "Good."

Gwendal pulled his eyes away from the two before pinning them immediately on Kagome and Alford noted how, when the lord's eyes were finished looking somewhere else, it would immediately find its way back to the young woman's figure as though drawn there by some sort of magnet. "We'll leave as soon as you're feeling better, my lady, I will ask the innkeeper's wife for your clothes."

"Thanks, Gwendal, I would love that. And tell her I said thanks for the dress," she answered with that warm smile for him. "And I'm sorry for being such a burden on you guys."

Everyone in the room blinked. Yozak then laughed and wrapped a thick arm around her shoulders. "What are you talking about jouchan? You saved us back there. If it weren't for you, I would never have been able to keep my beautiful face!"

"We owe you our lives," Hube bowed to her slightly. "This we will never forget."

She blinked rapidly and then she blushed, burying her face into Yozak's chest attempting to hide from everyone's eyes as though she was not used to receiving such effusive gratitude. "It's nothing."

"Yozak," the sudden sharp command of Gwendal's voice cut through the moment like a whip and Yozak stiffened at that tone in his voice. "Why don't you go to the innkeeper's wife and get her clothes. Hube, get our supplies ready."

"Eh, uh, yes, Your Excellency!" Yozak stiffened and let go of Kagome before hurrying out of the room with Hube followed by Gwendal's piercing blue eyes, collaring Rolf as he passed him. "Come on, young Lord von Grantz, we've got work to do!"

"Hey, watch it!"

"You, too, Alford." Hube grabbed the human warrior as well.

"Let go, Yozak!"

"Wait! My sword!"

"Now, now, Alford, Rolf," Yozak told them in a sing song voice as they stepped out onto the inn's inner courtyard. "There's no need to go on leering at my cute little jouchan."

"Your cute little jouchan?" Rolf finally shook his arm off his collar angrily. "Just what was that supposed to mean?"

"And for your information," Alford also added angrily, flushing. "I was not leering at her!"

"Oh?" both young men backed up when Yozak's wickedly smirking face invaded their personal space. "That wasn't what I got when she blushed in there."

"You're the one to talk!" Rolf yelled at him, his cheeks the same color as his hair. "You were groping her!"

"Oh my!" Yozak backed up in mock surprise. "Are you jealous, my lord?"

"Why you…"

"I am a hero," Alford mumbled after reattaching his holy sword back into his sheath. "Jealousy is a petty and ungallant emotion."

"Ah! Excuse me…?"

All four men looked up at the approach of a lean young man with a sheepish smile similar to Yuuri's own whenever he was unsure about meeting a stranger for the first time. He had long ash brown hair tied back loosely with a dirty white string and dark skin as was typical to the natives of Zorashiya. His clothes spoke that of a warrior in a humble home spun cloak and tunic of charcoal. His exposed biceps had a tattooed ring around them decorating his arm like a band. The symbol of a Zorashiyan warrior. He looked also looked no older than Rolf himself and he carried a broad sword of some kind.

Hube nodded to him slightly, never taking his eyes off him, always ready for a fight. "Yes, can we help you?"

"Oh, my name's Koritsu, my father sent me here to escort you back to Shin Makoku using the shortest route possible." He answered, bowing politely.

"Your father?" Yozak blinked. "Who's your father?"

The young man raised his eyes up to them before answering. "He would be the Grand Retainer for the Princess Greta. His name is Maoritsu."

/****/

The three remaining occupants in the room watched the door slam closed behind them after getting a peek of Rolf still squirming to get away from Yozak's bigger frame and Alford trying to hold onto his holy sword for dear life. If Gwendal weren't in such a foul mood over seeing Kagome cuddling with Yozak, he would have at least smirked at the scene.

And why in the world did that bother him so much, anyway?

Because she was his friend, of course, he nodded to himself mentally. It was his duty to protect his friends. Like that time when Annisina was engaged to that von Roshvall character by her brother…

"Well, that's that," Adelbert rolled his shoulders back and straightened to his full, impressive height, breaking the silence after the four left. "I'll see if I can get you anymore information about this cult's founder, Gwendal, I'll send word if I find anything about the dagger and where it is."

Gwendal merely nodded his answer to that.

Kagome stepped forward, though. "You're not coming back with us?"

He turned away with an ironic smirk on his face. "Your brother didn't tell you I'm a traitor and is banned from Mazoku lands?"

"Of course I know," she straightened, her eyes directed on the large blond. "He told me about you… about Julia… Though I have to tell you that though I can't directly say I know exactly how you feel I know the general idea of your pain and I feel like you have started to heal."

Gwendal blinked at that. How could she tell? In his eyes Adelbert was as rough as he always was.

"…Then you should know why I can't come back." Adelbert answered after a while, clearly impressed with her deduction. "Diplomacy and words do not suit a von Grantz. Me returning as lord would start the vicious cycle of our want for conquest all over again and my father knows it."

Kagome's eyes then softened. "Is that the reason why you chose Rolf as a successor?"

Two pairs of surprised Mazoku eyes flew her way at that; both blue but with different hues and brightness.

Gwendal wondered at this and thought about Rolf and Adelbert. To him, Adelbert seemed more suited to lead even though he was rough around the edges. He was strong and intelligent and a competent commander albeit quite bloodthirsty. In fact, when he first learned of the engagement between the war loving von Grantz and the pacifist von Wincotts he wondered how that will ever work out. From his experience with Rolf, he found the younger Mazoku much more interested in planning even though there were times when his explosive temper got the better of him. And he had a startling fascination with books and anything academic. He liked to ask questions more than pulling out his sword and hacking off everything in sight except when his von Grantz impatience set in and took control…

"What do you mean?" Adelbert cocked a brow at her, amused.

The young woman's eyes warmed much more significantly at the question and Gwendal found his eyes pinned to her again. "You want to instigate a measure of humility in the proud blood of the von Grantz line. For an ordinary von Grantz heir would have never stood so low as to bend on his knee to ask for forgiveness in front of the person he wronged. Instead he would have run off and exile himself to hold up his honor, fading into the shadows of obscurity. If he finds he was in the wrong, instead of apologizing he would rather roughly help those he had wronged indirectly to save his pride. Despite his rashness Rolf would never run. And he's not afraid to say 'I'm sorry'."

The former Mazoku lord's smirk became a true smile and he fully faced Kagome with a respectful bow. "He was raised by his mother in Karbelnikoff lands after his father died in the last war away from the influence of the von Grantz traditions. My father and I deemed him suitable to inherit the title."

Kagome nodded. "I think you made a wise choice."

Adelbert nodded before turning away as well. "I hope we'll meet again, Lady Kagome. It was a pleasure meeting you."

And with that he was gone.

"He's an interesting man," Gwendal heard her say after a while, taking all his attention now. "I don't know if it is Julia's soul talking but Yuu-chan's pretty fond of him."

"He's also a traitor." He answered stiffly displeased that she would look so… awed while describing another man.

Yes, something about her smiling warmly back at Adelbert disturbed him greatly. It almost felt like the way he did when he saw her charming Willaperht and his cronies back in Cabalcade.

Kagome raised her brows at him at that. "A traitor who's loyal to the Maou, isn't he?"

He knew she was right but Gwendal just couldn't help himself. "That doesn't make a difference."

She frowned at him wondering what his problem was. "Al likes him, so that should mean he's a cool guy, right? Besides, Yuu-chan likes him too, I already told you that."

"So if the Maou told you he liked to jump over waterfalls you'd join him too?" Gwendal wished he could stop; he had better self control than this, then why can't he? Why can't he just shut up? "And what is this about Alford Markina? Were the both of you getting cozy while we were gone? Just what were you distracting him with that he forgot to call us when you woke up?"

Angry fire sparked in her eyes like flaming, black pebbles and Gwendal knew he had gone too far. And despite the fact that he knew he should feel bad about his words all he could do was look into her eyes and burn in them; relishing the fact that he had put this emotion on her face like no one else could. Shinou, he wanted her to consume him in that fire…

"Are you doing this because you're still mad at me for charging out there even after you told me to stay behind?" she exclaimed angrily. "Because I'm telling you now, you big jerk, I am not sorry about what I did! In fact, if it ever happens again I would be glad to do it all over, no questions asked!"

The thought of her in danger had his blood going cold in his veins and, before he knew it, Gwendal had her delicate wrists in his large hands as he glared directly in her eyes once more. "You will do no such thing!"

She did not back away. Instead, she raised her chin at him stubbornly, challenging him for all she was worth. "I am not a child, Gwendal! I can look after myself!"

"I am not allowing you to get hurt again!" he snarled at her.

"You and Yuuri are all the same!" she yelled back at him. "I won't let you tell me what to do!"

But Gwendal wasn't listening to her anymore. All he could think about was how soft the underside of her wrists felt like in his rough, calloused hands. How he wanted to move her hand upward to rest on his cheek and force her other arm around his neck to hold him close. How easy it would be to catch her chin in his fingers and kiss her… How simple it would be to carry her over to the bed and slowly take that dress off that soft, supple body he knew resided beneath. And it wasn't to take her either, although the want was there. It was the need to feel her warmth against his skin and assure him that she was well… That she was going to be fine…

The desire to do so was so strong that he had to let her go. The hunger and the emotions that came with touching her… they somehow negated the friendship he had decided he felt for her. It was wrong.

Wasn't it?

Kagome, oblivious to his emotional struggles, angrily pushed away from him and looked out of the window she had opened earlier, breathing hard in anger. She tried to calm her emotions before she spoke again a few moments later. "You and Yuu-chan can't protect me from every little hurt. I am not a doll you can put on a shelf and show off I am a human being. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your concern and the fact that you care but accusing me of things… Making stuff up just because you want to scold me…! I've had enough of that from Inuyasha and I won't take that from any of you!"

His anger flared anew when he heard her voice break as soon as she spoke the bastard's name but this time he held himself back. Bitterly he acknowledged that the bastard will always hold a part of her with him, whether he wanted to or not…

"Why…?" Gwendal looked up to see her staring contemplatively at the scenery outside her window. His brows furrowed in confusion. "Why is the soil so soggy here and yet not a trace of grass is growing…?"

Taking a deep gulp of air to stop himself from shaking and to get back some of his precious self control, he strode behind her until he was an arms length away, understanding what she meant and grateful she decided to change the subject. What should have been the loveliest and most bountiful fields of grain and other assorted plants were now replaced with useless, muddy fields too immersed in water to be able to grow any sort of plant life. Surrounding them were mud huts too sunken in disrepair and morose villagers coming to and fro hoping to make some sort of living for themselves. The inn they were in was in a bit of a better state although not by much but it was the best that he could find under the circumstances they found themselves in while they were waiting for her to wake up.

"Zorashiya was caught in a civil war 6 years ago, 2 years before Yuuri-heika was crowned Maou. Do you know how he and Greta first met?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes. Ken-chan and Yuu-chan told me about it."

Gwendal nodded before taking a breath, her scent drifting towards him and making it momentarily difficult for him to speak. "After the war, Zorashiya was devastated. They were caught right in the middle since Suberera was the country of the Duchess' brother and Zorashiya was her husband. The rebels that wanted the king of Suberera gone knew they had to pass this country to get to the capital and Suberera used Zorashiya as their first line of defense in order to set a trap for the rebels and eliminate them. It was long and grueling. I'm surprised there was anything left.

"This place was once dry and lifeless after the war. It was a long and cruel drought, but when Yuuri-heika found the Mateki everything changed and took a complete turn. Instead of dry land now the country would have to deal with this murky weather. But the situation has not changed at all. It's like the land died along with its rulers 6 years ago and had taken the land to their graves…"

He watched the compassion in her eyes glow and understood. She was a good person and his heart broke for her.

Reaching into a pot settled on the windowsill to keep a poorly surviving flower Kagome lifted the muddy soil into her hands and frowned. The action reminded Gwendal of his mother who, oddly enough, was not afraid of getting dirt in her hands like other noble ladies because of her love of flowers. "Is there nothing Shin Makoku could do to help...?"

"We don't even know how." He confessed, mesmerized at how her hair seemed to glow even with the muggy sunshine that the thick, gray clouds allowed on the land. "If we knew then for Greta's sake, Yuuri would have already done it."

"There's gotta be a way," she frowned as she played with the soil in her hand, too distracted to notice the way Gwendal's dazed face was closing in on her hair. "There just has to be."

Gwendal wasn't listening anymore. He wanted to know if her hair would smell as wonderful up close as it did at arms length. He wanted to know how those satiny strands would feel against his face. He needed to bury his face in them and breathe her in…

"Your Excellency?" the call and knock from the door, seemingly from one of Rolf's aides, had Gwendal jerking away from her as though he were burned.

He glared at the door, wishing the person behind it a long, painful, creative death. "What?"

The intruder seemed to stop at the sharp and angry answer before speaking again, this time much more hesitantly. "S-Sir Gurrier says he needs you downstairs to meet with the escort sent by Sir Maoritsu to escort us back to Shin Makoku with supplies."

Gwendal took a deep breath and counted to ten before letting it out slowly. There was no point in getting angry. In fact he should be grateful for the interruption. A few more moments and he would have… Shinou he didn't know what would have happened. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"I'll be right there," looking back at a curious looking Kagome he nodded slightly, keeping his face schooled into its stern mask before speaking again. "I'll have the innkeeper's wife send up a tray. When can you leave?"

"We should stay another night and then we can leave in the morning." She told him, thinking it would be the most practical thing to do at this point.

Gwendal nodded, thinking the same. "Alright; please excuse me."

When he left the room and stationed both of Rolf's aides to guard her with the strictest of orders to keep her safe, he felt as though he were fleeing and he didn't even want to. How ironic since all the other times he's fled from Annisina was very sincere and heartfelt. With Kagome though… it was a whole different experience. He wanted to flee from her to protect her from himself and his unstable emotions.

"What is she?"

Surprised, Gwendal turned to see Adelbert leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, cursing himself for not being on alert. He covered this up quickly, though, and faced the blond man. "What do you mean?"

"You told us she's his twin sister but I can sense no maryouko in her of any kind," Adelbert continued, his bright blue eyes piercing him darkly. "I can see similarities between him and her but none of Julia's spirit; none of her or the boy's power."

"That is because she is not Mazoku."

Adelbert took a step towards him, a grim look on his face. "What do you mean? She is soukoku! She has black hair and eyes!"

"But she has no connection to a Mazoku soul," he told the other man. He should explain this to Adelbert to prevent any kind of delusion he might have about using Kagome as a replacement for Julia. "Her Ladyship was created using a human soul. It is merely coincidence that she was born from the same womb as His Majesty."

Adelbert seemed taken aback by this revelation. "So despite her black hair and eyes…?"

Gwendal nodded. "She is human."

Adelbert stood there, a completely stunned, thoughtful look on his face before he turned around to leave once more. "Well human or not you should guard her a bit more efficiently. That one is an asset to the kingdom; whether anyone knows it or not."

Gwendal watched him go, knowing what he meant. Kagome was bright and had experiencing in what they were dealing with. Despite being human and dangerous to Mazoku kind she was precious. The kingdom doesn't know it yet but she will be the shadow that will help the Maou shine in a brighter light…

This revelation tore at him all throughout the travel plans between him and Koritsu…

/****/

"GUWAAAHHHKH!"

Yuuri gasped for air even as he broke through the surface of the water carrying an equally distressed Shippou now in his arms and Kagome's bright yellow bag over his shoulder. Not far behind him was Murata, sputtering along with poor Kirara in his hands as well.

"Heika, Geika!" Ulrike and the temple maidens rushed towards them with thick, dry towels. "Oh, please forgive me!"

Yuuri stopped coughing water out of his nose and looked up at the Genshi Miko who looked like the world was going to end. "Ulrike? What's going on? I wasn't ready to get back!"

"There (pant)… could only be (hack)… one person (cough)… stupid enough (sniff)… to do this to me…!" Murata snarled angrily. He stood up and grabbed a towel from a shrine maiden before wiping at his face irritably as he stepped off the fountain with Yuuri. "And I am going to kill him in his sleep!"

"Now, now, Daikenja, that's not nice," the familiar voice of the Original King melted into the tension like honey. "No need to play your perverted little fantasies while I'm asleep."

Murata shot him a look that could have exorcised him on the spot. "Oh I'll play my fancy little fantasies on you, alright. When I'm done with you, you won't even have an afterlife!"

"Oh." Shinou smirked. "Kinky."

"Uh, guys…" Yuuri deadpanned. "Not to be rude or anything but what's going on?"

Shinou's teasing smirk disappeared replaced with a look of foreboding. "There is a matter of grave importance that has happened a few days ago."

"A time lag?" Murata asked thoughtfully, now frowning.

"Days? What was it?" Yuuri asked, wide eyed. "What was so important that you had to bring us back tha way? You never call me that way anymore. Is there something wrong, Shinou?"

"It was Sousho." Shinou met eyes with his successor.

Everyone in the room could see how the blood drained out of the soukoku rulers' faces. Yuuri broke the silence. "That's impossible! I sent him away years ago!"

"Shinou, do you mean it, he's back?" Ken asked in alarmed.

"Follow me." Shinou went back into the temple's oracle room followed by the soukoku rulers and Ulrike.

Inside he waved his hand over a section of the floor and produced Ulrike's orb. A dark space filled with sharp points of light littered all over the crystal globe. All of them looked the same except for a three of the lights which were a lot brighter than the other pinpoints of light.

"What are these?" Yuuri asked curiously, having never seen it before.

Ulrike obliged him. "These are you, His Highness and Cheri-sama and this place here indicates you are all in Shin Makoku at the moment."

"Wow, I look like I'm about to explode." Yuuri remarked.

"Mine looks calm as always." Ken stated proudly.

"That sounds about right." Yuuri commented wryly.

"But this is not what I want you to see," Shinou waved his hand over the globe again and it turned. On a large space accompanied by a group of lesser pin pricks of light lay a bright pink star. It was as large as Murata's and it held precedence over every other light around it. "This is where I felt the odd familiarity of Sousho's power nearly rise up again. However," here he pointed out the pink light. "This person stopped it from happening."

Seeing it, Ken's glasses glinted over. He knew who the pink light was.

"Stopped?" Murata asked his old friend. "So that means he's not back from the dead?"

Shinou nodded at him. "I must confess I panicked. It was the reason I immediately called Yuuri back."

Yuuri sighed but then smiled at everyone in the room. "Oh well, I guess its fine. At least I get to show Kagome my surprise now."

"Surprise?" Shinou raised his brows curiously.

"Yes!" Yuuri then took Shippou by his sides and held him out up to Shinou's face. "This is Shippou, my nephew."

Shinou blinked. Then blinked again. And then the creature in his successor's hands smiled uncertainly up at him and gave him a little wave. "H-hello."

One of Shinou's brows rose up at that. "Nephew? Has Shouri married?"

"No," Yuuri laughed as he took the kitsune back who huddled into the crook of his neck. "Shippou's Kagome's son. He's a full youkai and was orphaned when Kagome met him. She adopted him from then on."

Surprise colored the Original king's face with what he learned before he turned his eyes back on Shippou. "So… the priestess is your mother?"

Shippou looked up at this transparent demon and knew, even though he didn't seem solid enough, that he still had the power to easily crush him. "H-hai!"

"She does not hurt you?"

This confused the little fox. "Why would my mother hurt me?"

Ulrike blushed and started cooing over Shippou. "Oh, he's so adorable, Your Majesty!"

"That he is, Ulrike; let me just take him to Kagome and then I'll tell her to visit you with him. See you, guys!" and with that, Yuuri ran off with Shippou and the heavy yellow bag. "Let's go Kirara!"

"Meep!" and the fire cat leaped off Murata's shoulder to land on Yuuri's as he sped away.

Before following, Ken turned immediately back to his old friend. "Is she back yet?"

"Unfortunately not," Shinou told him a little sheepishly. "However, everybody in the castle knows she's gone. Gunter finally let the cat out of the bag."

The black haired Great Sage nearly slapped his forehead in utter exasperation. "How did that happen?"

"Apparently," the Original King turned away. "The mission you sent her on escalated into levels even you were not able to predict."

Ken paled at that before running off after Yuuri. "Shibuya! Wait up!"

Ulrike frowned up at her master sternly as soon as the Daikenja left. "That was a mean thing to do, Shinou-heika."

Shinou merely smiled lazily back at her like a spoiled prince. "So what? They would have to know sooner or later. Do you really think Kagome would be able to hide an accomplishment of such magnitude from that boy? I know it's hard to believe but I am trying to make Daikenja's life a little bit easier."

The Genshi Miko sighed. "I suppose so…"

Shinou sat down on one of the boxes and placed his chin on his hand as his elbow rested on his knees, smiling slightly as a new thought entered his mind. "I must say… Daikenja's little creation truly is an intriguing one, isn't she?"

Ulrike merely sighed, knowing it would be useless to reprimand the blond former Maou when he had that look on his face. As she once heard the Great Sage once say 'that face of his did not come with batteries or reason'.

She found it appropriate after the dark haired former sage explained what batteries were.

/****/

Murata was beyond worried.

What exactly did Shinou mean about things 'escalating into levels even he was not able to predict'? Did something bad happen to Kagome? He felt ice run through his veins at the very thought. What in the world was he going to do once Yuuri finds out he sent Kagome off to look for Rolf? Oh wait, that was easy; he'd kill him, of course.

"Shibuya!" Murata called out in alarm, still running towards the Maou. "Shibuya, wait up!"

The bespectacled soukoku stopped in his tracks when, all of a sudden, the tiny fire cat resting on Yuuri's shoulder meeped, making the Maou stop. Them before both their amazed eyes, the little demon transformed into a bigger one and docilely allowed a delighted Maou to ride on her back. In one more instant, they were off into the air flying towards the castle amidst the gasps and gaping of the soldiers and shrine maidens who happened to be there.

"I'll see you later, Murata!" Yuuri called back to him, waving as he disappeared towards Boold Pledge Castle. "I need to see Kagome!"

Crap, Murata thought. He needed to be there. He had a feeling Yuuri will not be particularly happy if he found out Kagome was no in the castle! It might have only been a couple of hours since they've been gone in the human world but judging from the way Shinou was talking and the fact that the time lag was pretty wide, he'd say they'd been gone for almost a month. Crap, why didn't he tell Yozak to make sure to bring her back after a week?

"Sorry, but I need to borrow this!" He told the female guard at the stable as he swung himself onto the horse's bare back and had it running after Yuuri.

He should have known it would be hopeless to try and catch up to a flying demon fire cat. By the time he reached the castle, everything was in an uproar. Servants and soldiers and even nobles who were being housed as guests in the castle were crowding around the courtyard as they too felt the overwhelming power of their Maou dangerously close to being unleashed. Jumping off the horse as soon as e reached the inner walls he passed a stunned Gisela and Dorcas and went straight into the palace where he could already feel the beginnings of angry power rising to its fore. Murata couldn't run fast enough.

He didn't need any directions; he knew where to find Yuuri. Wishing for probably the hundredth time that the place had a elevator, he ran as fast as he could up the stairs to the royal suites and there, in the middle of fairly damp hallway, stood a glaring Yuuri right in front of Kagome's room and glaring at Gunter, Conrad and Wolfram. Cheri-sama and Greta stood a safe ways away down the hallway in worry.

"H-heika…" Gunter nervously tried to step towards their king but was repelled by an electric blue wave of light. "Please, heika!"

Okay, maybe he got lucky. Maybe no one told Shibuya why Kagome's left yet.

"What. Did. You. Say…?" Yuuri slowly asked, behind gritted teeth.

And then again maybe he was not so lucky.

Murata had to assume that they have already told him why his precious twin sister was not in her room. Knowing Shibuya, Murata knew he would have just barged into Kagome's room with Shippou and ignoring everyone's attempt to distract him from going.

Shippou, who was now huddled just inside Kagome's room with Kirara looked up at his uncle in fright thinking Yuuri might just be as powerful or even more powerful than Sesshoumaru. His instincts for self preservation reflecively had him staying away from the soukoku king.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram yelled at his fiancé angrily. "Will you listen to your self? We didn't let her go; she went out there to fetch Rolf on her own free will! We didn't even know about it till a few days ago!"

"Your Majesty!" Conrad tried pleading with him, worriedly eyeing the condensation forming in the air. "Please calm down! You need to calm down!"

"Shibuya!" Everyone stared at him as Murata came barreling from around the bend calling for his friend and king. "Shibuya they're right; calm down."

The Maou didn't even spare him a look and spoke coldly. "They said she's left. They said she went after Rolf."

"That's right." Ken answered in his calmest voice, willing himself not to think he was about to be killed by one pissed off demon king. Yuuri was panicking. He was afraid about Kagome. He needed to calm them down. "She's away with Sir Brischella and Yozak to bring Rolf back."

At this answer, Yuuri's slit black eyes slowly dragged over to where he was calmly standing, his hair flying every which way. "What do you mean?"

There was no helping it and Ken knew there was only one way to deal with all this now so, standing very still, Ken allowed the light from the windows to glaze one of his lenses while the other glared calmly at Yuuri, his own ebony eyes steady on the Maou. He needed to play a little mind game with Yuuri and he thanked every god he knew that Yuuri was as good as an open book to him. He can play with his emotions as easily as he would any other enemy. Usually he detested doing this on his king but beggars couldn't be choosers. The game starts now. "Can't you guess?"

At this, the Maou faced him entirely with his entire body and his maryouko splashed around him like a malevolent wave of light. "You knew."

"Of course."

"How?"

"I asked her to go."

"WHY?"

"It is needed. So we can keep you safe."

In a blink of an eye Ken found himself slammed into the wall behind him, his neck under the forearm of an angry Maou. "I said she is not to be harmed! She has nothing to do with this!"

Fearlessly, Ken looked him directly in the eye and everyone in the hallways gasped when they saw his own ebony pupils also transform into a cat like slits. He just needed a little more to make Yuuri drop his maryouko before it destroys everything in sight. "Think about it, Shibuya; if we left everything alone and let the nobles kill Rolf will you ever forgive yourself."

"I would have gone myself to find him!"

"You won't be allowed to go."

"And why not?"

"The country is in enough chaos as it is; you showing your favors to one noble would put the kingdom in jeopardy and would give your enemies more openings to deepen the support for the rebellion and you would face civil war," Ken continued as though not caring that his windpipe was currently being crushed. "We've already discussed this and Kagome heard. Kagome agreed because she decided it was the best way to help you out."

"But she knows nothing!" Yuuri cried out, his dismay becoming more pronounced now that his emotions were coming to the fore and soon, the Maou was fading away and only Shibuya Yuuri was left looking desperately into his best friend's now very normal eyes. "How could she possibly find him she doesn't even know this place!"

"She can find the dagger she gave Rolf because she can trace that energy back to him," Ken explained, relieved that Yuuri was calming down and his maryouko has now allowed him to go back to normal. Now to keep him there… "It was the fastest way to get him back."

"You were using her!" Yuuri hit the wall beside his head hard, his eyes hard and accusing. "You were using my sister!"

"...She's with Yozak and Hube, I made sure she was safe."

"Damn you!" Yuri cried, this time hitting Murata on the cheek. Ken's glasses fell to the ground but the bespectacled soukoku kept standing. "She's just a girl! What if something happened to her? What if she gets hurt! She's just a girl, what does she know?"

"That's. It!" Ken ground out, this time, surprising Yuuri and everyone else when he slammed Yuuri against the wall angrily. Something in him snapped at the words. He remembered very clearly how Inuyasha spoke to Kagome and for the longest time now, the girl had confided in him how much such thoughts and words hurt her. "I'm sick and tired of you doing this! Kagome may be your sister but I created her! She's more than just a girl who's pretty to look at and she's more than just an ornament! I'm sick and tired of you, Shouri and even Inuyasha treating her either like she can't do anything for herself or that she's completely useless! Stop patronizing her and give her a little credit!"

"You Majesty! Your Highness!"

"I am not patronizing her; I would never!" Yuuri protested, ignoring the calls of his retainers.

"Really now?"

"I am protecting her!"

"I created her to destroy you! Do you understand what that means? Do you understand what kind of burden that entails? It's true, I was stupid to send her out there and getting her involved but when you brought her here did you really think she'd be immune to the responsibilities of your station? No, not even Shouri's exempt from it! She's more than what you guys made her out to be and— probably— deep inside I want to have her prove that to you because you need to stop suffocating her!"

"I don't know what you're talk—"

"She stayed in her room for a week thinking that your people will have problems accepting a woman who can destroy them with a touch and you didn't even realize it!" Ken continued to blow up on him, closing in for the kill that he wanted. "She was so lonely, Yuuri…! I understand why you brought her here but the least you could have given as a compromise was to do away with your pride and assured her you'd protect her!"

"I…" Yuuri backed off him, confused.

Ken mentally patted himself on the back for a job well done even if he did feel guilty. He knew Yuuri was none of these things; he's been supportive of Kagome up to the fact when he witnessed how bad she was getting hurt back in the Feudal Era but this had to be done. It would save them a lot of trouble trying to stop him from decimating the castle. "She's used to an era where you can get killed just by being different, not to a life of absolute trust and luxury. It's alright to want to protect her but Yuuri… don't forget what she's been through and give her the respect she's due. If you do that, everyone else will follow your example."

These words had Yuuri slumping against the wall and sliding down to the floor thoughtfully and Ken backed away. After this he would bet anything he had on a long argument about him going after Kagome but he needed to make sure that Conrad or Wolfram did not give in. They were in a delicate situation and as long as opinions are divided against Kagome's presence in Shin Makoku and the alliance with the humans, they would Yuuri here.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

"Your Majesty, how are you feeling?"

"Yuuri?"

"Yuuri!"

Conrad and the others crowded around him and Ken flinched when he felt Cheri-sama's touch on his bruised cheek. Everyone was talking all at once but the soukoku rulers remained silent and Ken apologized to Yuuri in his mind.

He knew how much Yuuri loved his twin sister; he and Shouri and even Souta would move heaven and Earth for her. They hated the fact that Kagome was so independent of them when all they wanted was to hold her like a delicate crystal. But they needed to stop doing that for Ken to understand what was depressing Kagome about the Shikon no Tama and the pure wish she was supposed to hold on it. He would not be able to get the information he needed if they continued to wrap her in swaddling clothes and he doubted Kagome would appreciate it either. Even though he himself wanted nothing more than to keep her in an ivory tower he knew better. Sadly, he knew her more than Yuuri ever would. For despite her unpredictability he knew the spiritual chemistry she was made of. He made her, after all.

_Sniff_. _Sniff_.

"Uncle Yuuri?"

Everyone instantly fell silent and their eyes fell to the little fox kit that was walking towards them, his tear stained wide green eyes sparkling with delight.

"Oh my, it's talking!" Cheri-sama squealed as she blushed in delight. "How cute!"

"Eh?" Greta jumped, eyes also sparkling with delight. "I thought he was just a toy earlier."

"Stand back, he could be dangerous!" Wolfram cried out, his sword drawn.

"Wait." Yuuri stopped them and stood up to beckon the little kitsune closer. "What is it, Shippou?"

Shippou jumped up onto his shoulder excitedly. "My mama! I can smell my mama!"

"What?" Yuuri stood up and looked down at a now mewing Kirara who jumped on his chest to res on his other shoulder, eliciting squeals of delight from the women of his court. "Where?"

"Outside!" Shippou told him squirming. "She's outside, Uncle Yuuri!"

Without waiting for anything else the Maou ran quickly passed Conrad and the others and passed the surprised servants and soldiers and out onto the still crowded courtyard. Upon reaching the stairs leading to the gates he stopped.

"Where is she, Shippou?" he asked the kit.

But Shippou's eyes were watering again as he waited with baited breath…

And soon enough the whinny of horses came forth and there, appearing under the portcullis, came up Kagome riding a large, beautiful white horse with a black mane…

/****/

"What's wrong, my lady?"

Everyone looked at her, worried when she stopped Yukishiro all of a sudden and stared wide eyed at the castle before them. All of them, including Koritsu stared at her, wondering what would have made her stop her cheerful chatter all of a sudden.

No, it couldn't be. It's impossible, she thought to herself.

She smiled at everyone to reassure them. "I'm fine, Hube, I just thought that—"

But then there it was again. That little twinge of familiarity tugging at her senses. The energy signature she memorized to make sure that she was aware of his safety at all times!

Ignoring the worried questions around her she pushed Yukishiro into a run with everyone following. As soon as she crossed the threshold she found herself staring into eyes identical to hers… before she looked down into a pair of watery, forest green eyes clinging onto the form in black looking straight back at her with such longing it almost broke her heart…

Kagome didn't even notice Gwendal and the others pulling up behind her, looking around at the commotion in the courtyard and wondering what was happening. All she did was step down from Yukishiro and walk slowly towards Yuuri thinking that perhaps she may be dreaming.

Apparently she was not moving fast enough.

"MAMA!"

And like a bullet, Shippou jumped off Yuuri's shoulder to run towards her. Kagome stood there, stunned as he glomped her, crying and calling her mama again and again. The young Shikon priestess looked up and saw Ken appearing behind Yuuri with her bright yellow back pack and a wide smile on his face and knew…

She wasn't dreaming.

She fell to her knees in a daze amidst the worried shouts of her travelling companions and she could dimly feel the ground beneath her tremble under their feet. But she didn't care at all. She was melting. Melting under the solid, reassuring heat of the son she thought she had lost and would never be able to see again…

"Shippou…?" her eyes started to water as she whispered his name in a daze. A meep and the feel of something soft rubbing adoringly against the crook of her neck made her turn and the sight of a pair of furry tails made her laugh through her pending tears. "Kirara…?"

"Mama! I missed you so much!" Shippou tightened his hold on her. "I thought you were still hurt! I was so worried!"

Kagome's eyes widened. All these weeks after the incident with Inuyasha and Kikyou poured over her like a bucket of cold water and now, in her son's embrace, she felt the cold melting. All her emotions from the moment she set out on her journey from her fear to her uncertainty and nervousness. All the things she kept hidden inside her to keep herself from becoming a burden were thrown out of the proverbial window as she hugged her son tightly against her and sobbed into his soft, fur.

"Shippou…" she sobbed freely as she shook with the force of her emotions, not caring that people could see her. Not caring what they thought. All she knew was that she was with her son again and it was all that mattered. "My son…"

She then noticed a pair of black shoed feet appear in her line of vision. Kagome looked up into the tender, loving eyes of her twin brother and smiled tremulously. "Yuu-chan…"

She stood up and, her arms still wrapped tightly around Shippou, leaned her forehead against the Maou's shoulder. Yuuri responded by holding onto her tightly, not wanting to ever let go. He understood. He always did. Overbearing as he might be acting she knew he always understood…

"Your Majesty, let me introduce myself I am—"

Koritsu was halted by a raised hand from the Great Sage. It was a clear message. Whatever it is he needed, whatever it is he wanted… it could wait.

Everything else could wait…

/*****/

Please Review!


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N.: **I apologize for the loooong delay. Stupid reality interferes every time and I was caught at work writing this and got in trouble so I just wasn't up to touching it for a few weeks. Anyway it's a good thing your reviews helped me a LOT (Special thanks to Izadleen, BishounenFoxyMiko and Orihime-san and you guys who had left their special thoughts on this story). Anyway, I apologize if this chapter is a bit boring but I just had to get it out of the way before the heat turns up again.

Izadleen, I owe you one; this chapter's for you!

Enjoy! ^^v

**Chapter 16**

Everyone moved towards the Maou's office until Yuuri sat down behind his desk and his advisors surrounded him. As soon as the doors were closed, they started briefing Yuuri about the situation.

"So you're all saying that the king of Suberera was the one who's supporting this rebellion all along?"

Rolf, Hube, Yozak and Gwendal all nodded at him in answer as they crowded around their king's desk now; leaving Gunter, Wolfram and Conrad on different spots inside the room.

"I'm not surprised," Gunter spoke from his spot. "He had never really expressed any sort of interest in the alliance even though we _are_ taking care of his own niece."

"He has never showed any interest in the Princess Greta, it was the reason why she came with me back here to Shin Makoku. According to the information we have acquired on the journey back here, he's spreading out the word that she is our hostage," Hube added. "I suspect he's doing that to keep Zorashiya from rebelling against him."

"What I don't get is why would he want to revive Sousho?" Wolfram commented, appearing quite alarmed about the whole idea. "That bastard tried to take over the _world_ once! Doesn't he understand that if he comes back not only will Shin Makoku perish but so will Suberera in the long run? Surely he's not _that_ much of an idiot?"

"Unless someone is making him believe that he can control that power and use it for himself…?" Conrad suggested quietly.

His words made the whole room stand still.

The silence was only broken when Gwendal's fist collided with the top of the table in a semi hard slam. "Of course…!"

"But who?" Yuuri blinked at this new information, still confused about the whole mess. "What kind of person would be able to convince someone like the king of Suberera to worship someone like Sousho and use him?"

"Whoever it was must be one frightening individual." Gunter nodded. "Suberera's king is a greedy, ambitious man but he is no fool; to have played on such traits and strung him along would have been a marvelous feat."

Gwendal nodded. "I will have my men look into it further. We must find out who is giving the Suberera king these ideas and stop it before it gets worse. If what we saw in Ichri was merely a botched plan to revive Sousho then… I shudder at the thought of him fully coming back."

"What do you think, Your Highness?" Yozak turned to the Great Sage listening from beside Yuuri.

Murata wore a grim look on his face as he thought this over. "Everything you said is pretty alarming. We'll need more intelligence to be able to come up with a proper plan but… we must stop Sousho's revival at all costs. This world barely survived his first coming; I don't think it can survive his return. And I don't think I want to take any chances."

The silence that came over the room was heavy as they all contemplated on the nightmarish possibilities of Sousho's rising. They've seen what the Maou's enemy could do with only a borrowed body… what more if he had a full soul with it?

"Yuu-chan?" every man in the room looked up and around to face a newly bathed Kagome as she came into the room, her skirts swirling around her ankles. She looked around the room with raised, incredulous brows before speaking. "How are you guys still awake? I thought you would have wrapped things up and turned in by now."

Conrad met her with his usual smile and a bow. "We had a lot to discuss, my lady."

Gwendal shot his younger brother a look noting the thin veneer of falsity in his words.

"I get that," Kagome told him, a bit annoyed which seemed to surprise the half Mazoku. Even Gwendal didn't think the young woman would pick up on the knight's sarcasm either since the only ones who could trace them would be him, their mother, Gunter and occasionally Anissina. "But there's no need to discuss this to the ground _right now_; you guys need to rest. I'm sure you'll be able to think about this much more clearly after a good night's sleep under a warm, secure roof."

Yozak crossed his arms over his chest and nodded thoughtfully. "She's got a point, you know?"

"Is there anything you'd like to report?" Wolfram asked her snootily, looking down at Kagome from aove his nose. "Or did all you do while you were out there was stand and run while Hube, Yozak and my brother did all the work?'

"Her Ladyship has done more than you know, Wolfram, please do not speak to her in that manner." Hube calmly warned the younger Mazoku causing Conrad, Wolfram and Gunter to look back at the usually quiet spy incredulously. "She saved all our lives; without her we would have perished."

Yozak smirked a bit darkly. "She's been a major key to our mission. Not only was she able to trace the dagger and Rolf but she was the reason we found out about the maseki smuggling. She even posed as an exotic dancer just to get Willaperht and his goons to spill— oops!"

But it was too late, Hube was already glaring at him from his one blue eye and Yozak was pretty sure that had he hidden another one under his eye patch it would have been doing the same.

Gwendal watched from his spot just a little to the left of the Maou's chair as Yuuri gaped at his loyal statesmen and spies before moving that gape onto his twin sister's face who had been dragged off by Lady Cherie earlier to get a bath and change before reappearing now in the Maou's office. The Mazoku lord had been staring at her the moment she had entered the room and he had wanted to hit Yozak over the head the moment he blurted out that incident. What happened to his self preservation instincts?

"You did WHAT?" the king finally blurted out, standing up from behind his desk, yelling at the young woman leading people to cover their ears at the inhuman shriek.

"It's really fine, bocchan!" Yozak tried to placate the fuming Maou. "His Excellency Gwendal arrived before anything could really happen!"

"Yozak?"

Yozak sweat dropped and nervousy turned to a twitching Hube. "Eh?"

"Shut. Up."

Kagome rolled her eyes at him as she walked further into the room, proudly wearing the mantle of a lady. Her breathing was relaxed as Gwendal could see from the modestly exposed collarbone of the light green, leaf printed gown Gunter made for her. "Don't be an idiot; I did it so I can help you out. Besides I wanted to help Rolf too."

Her mentioning his name made the younger Mazoku lord blush.

"_Are you crazy_? If Shouri finds out I let you go out there and put you in danger, he'll _kill_ me! No; scratch that; he'll have to dig me up first because Mom will _bury me alive _after_ Dad rips _my_ throat off_!"

"Will you please stop being so melodramatic?" she snapped at him in irritation. "And what Shouri, Dad and Mom don't know will not hurt them, so I hope for your sake you will _shut up_ and focus on the matter at hand. You've got a group of rather rebellious Mazoku nobles out there somewhere possibly in the process of making your life miserable, a bunch of humans who want your head on a silver platter and a missing dagger that can possibly be used for unholy rituals that can call your worst enemy back to _life_. Focus, Yuu-chan; _focus_."

Yuuri scowled at his twin sister angrily but sat back down again in a heavy slump, his head in his hand and his elbow on the desk. "When I took you here, it was because I wanted to protect you, _not_ to further endanger you."

Gunter clasped his hands together, staring at the dispute before him with misty lilac eyes. "Oh what beautiful sibling love! His Majesty is such a great man to care for Her Ladyship so…! And Lady Kagome! Such self sacrifice…! Such _devotion_!"

Everybody else in the room raised a brow at the lilac haired advisor, particularly Conrad and Wolfram. Gwendal couldn't help the tick his left eye was doing at his best friend's rather obsessive adoration with not only Yuuri, but Kagome as well. And the fact that he had barely spent any time with her at all made it all the more irritating although he knew he should be glad about it. One less enemy for Kagome would make her safer, right?

Kagome's eyes, however, rolled over to the ceiling again and Gwendal could have sworn he heard some snickers coming from a certain orange haired spy somewhere behind him. "What_ever_, you're missing the point here! The dagger's still missing and as long as it's out there you're in danger of acquiring a very dangerous enemy."

"She's right," Ken grinned sheepishly at his best friend from directly behind Kagome's now when the Maou turned his eyes on him at Kagome's words. "This world barely survived Sousho's first rising; there's no telling whether or not it will survive a second time at all."

"_I'm_ missing the point? How about _that_ little story about you dancing for Willaperht and his friends? What was _that_ about? Where did you even learn how to do something like that anyway?" Yuuri retorted, standing up and slamming his palms on top of the desk again, seemingly ignoring Murata's comment.

Kagome's freshly scrubbed cheeks glowed a little red before she recovered and scowled back at Yuuri. "Hey, look, I only knew how to dance like that because Ayumi is marrying a pervert. He wanted her to do an exotic belly dance for him on their honeymoon and I was the only one available at the time! Do you have any idea how many years and group dates I had to cancel with my friends because I had to go back to the Feudal Era, Yuu-chan? _Countless_! I needed to make up for lost time _and_ get them off my back from setting me up with Houjo! Besides, it's not my fault I have a knack for dancing!"

"You don't understand!" Yuuri cried out, practically pulling his hair out by the roots. "You don't know what they would have done to you if Gwendal hadn't shown up when he did!"

"I told you, I had that situation under control!" she gritted her teeth at him, cheeks still flaming as she remembered that night.

Deciding that this was going nowhere since Yuuri was bound and determined to put his sister on the spot and interrogate her to death, Gwendal decided to step in and help the Maou focus as was his primary job. Besides that he would rather not remember the details of the night in question that would surely haunt the rest of his nights. At least not in front of others. "Nevertheless the fact that Lord von Grantz is now back with us has accomplished Her Ladyship's mission and the fact that they have uncovered the mystery of the rebellion, the smuggled maseki and the plot to raise Sousho back to life also makes their efforts especially fruitful. What we need to do right now is to gather the ten nobles and let them know about the situation as well as to inform them of your decision, Your Majesty."

As predicted, Yuuri sat up straight, giving him his entire attention while Gwendal nearly responded to the grateful smile Kagome shot him with a smile of his own. Something he had stopped himself from doing just in time. It upset him that he had completely forgotten what he was discussing with his _king_ of all people at the sight of her smile.

"You're right, your right, I'm sorry," Yuuri sighed heavily as he slumped back in his chair. "The whole thing is upsetting. I mean, several of our nobles are actually aiding the enemy and now they think Sousho's a better option than I am. Am I really that bad of a king?"

"Don't say that." Kagome's firm voice cut through the room, cutting off Gunter and the rest who had just opened their mouths to speak in protest of Yuuri's comment. Everyone glanced back at the young woman but Gwendal noted how she didn't even glance at anyone except Yuuri who was meeting her eyes. "King or not you are mortal. You can't please everybody. Someone is trying to fool these people into thinking that they will attain their heart's desire by worshipping Sousho! As Maou it's your job to save them from their stupidity so don't you dare go on a pity party on them."

The room stood stunned at her passionate words, shattered only by Yuuri's response a moment later through a sheepish half smile and fond look he was aiming at Kagome. "Yeah… I guess." Yuuri stood up straight and looked up at his retainers who had started to smile at the renewed look of optimism in their king's ebony eyes before he spoke again. "Sorry about that, guys, I got carried away by depression for a minute. Don't worry, I'm okay now."

Wolfram blushed at the expression on his face before turning his nose up at him and crossing his arms over his chest. "Hmp! Wimp!"

"_Heika_!" Gunter wailed, going over to Yuuri's side of the table to give him one of his trademark wet hugs. "I, Gunter, am so happy that I am serving you!"

Conrad merely smiled back at him warmly along with Ken, Rolf, Hube and Yozak. Everyone had their attention centered on the king.

Gwendal, however, was marveling at another soukoku. A female one, actually. Who was looking up at her twin brother proudly. How did she do that? Usually, Yuuri would wallow for a few days after getting into this kind of depression. Although it had been four years since Yuuri had taken the throne, his insecurity had never truly left him. It usually took Conrad days to cheer him up. And now this young woman turns up and made the chore effortless. Accomplishing it with merely a smile and a few sincere words. If she had this much influence over the Maou then she may just as well be the most powerful woman in the country. A position held only by the Great Sage himself; probably more so.

He stopped himself from thinking when she turned to him and her smile turned that much warmer. And Gwendal felt his breathing stop for a moment before a warm feeling seemingly uncoiled in the middle of his chest and spread through his entire being and a sensation similar to bittersweet hunger broke through his very blood. He felt like he could bask in it forever…

"Alright; we'll meet with the other nobles and discuss this so make the preparations as soon as you can," Yuuri announced all of a sudden. "I'm pretty sure they'd want reassurance that Rolf has not betrayed us."

"I doubt Regina would be too happy about this, though," Gunter sighed and everyone was reminded of the regal Lady von Roshvall. "Although I would never doubt her loyalty this will still hurt her."

"If anyone should be strung up it should be Gautier!" Wolfram angrily exclaimed. "After everything she did for her… That ingrate!"

"We'll all cross that bridge when we get there," Yuuri sighed, smiling encouragingly at everyone. "You can all go relax the rest of the day away… or night for that matter; I didn't even realize how late it was."

"Before you do that Yuu-chan, there's something else I need to talk to you about."

Yuuri turned to his sister as well as everyone else. Wolfram and Conrad eyed her with a little suspicion, Conrad's look veiled and Wolfram's openly while the others all eyed her curiously instead. In others, like Gwendal, that curiosity was wrapped in a little bit of concern.

Yuuri was also included in that category. "What is it, Kagome?"

She hesitated for a moment, looking away before she sighed and took a step towards his desk, placing the rosary beads on top of it for his inspection before she started. "I know how Shippou was able to cross the well with Kirara."

Yuuri's brows rose in curiosity before reaching out for the beads and toyed with them in his hand. "Oh? Then how?"

"Those beads were Inuyasha's," she ignored the sudden darkening of his face at her mention of the hanyou's name. "I placed them around his neck in order to subdue him whenever I felt there was a need for it. Originally, Kikyo made them for that purpose but I was the one who triggered them with my powers. It serves as his connection to me and it was the reason why he can cross over through the well and into our time when no one else could.

"Apparently Kikyo took them off of him…" she swallowed as though saying the words pained her. "But I don't think she understands just how dangerous he is without the necklace even with Tessaiga with him. It controls his demon side during the rare times his blood beast gets out of control; keeps him from destroying others and himself in an inhuman rampage! So I need to go back… I have to go back soon."

Wolfram sneered at her. "So what? So you can enslave him again? No wonder he liked that other human woman better if she managed to free him while you tried to force him to love you."

"Wolfram!" Gwendal snapped sharply at his younger brother.

The von Bielfelt prince looked up at his older brother in surprise before bowing his head in apology but not before throwing a glare at Kagome who was practically oblivious to him.

"I offered to take them off once…" Kagome's whisper broke the silence that descended after a while. "But he said it was alright… That I didn't need to…"

"Then there's no point in going back there then," Yuuri said cautiously, throwing Murata a look and remembering their earlier fight when he discovered Kagome was missing. Sure, he'd let her decide for herself but that did not mean he won't argue about it first. He was still her twin brother, after all. "He's free, you should just leave them alone. He doesn't deserve you, Kagome."

"It's not just that," Kagome gave her twin a small, sad smile. "I know he may not need the rosary anymore but… I need to see him again, Yuuri. I want to make sure he's safe."

Everyone in the room saw Yuuri's jaw clench at her words. "He hurt you… Do you really think I'll let you near him again?"

"You can come with me this time if you want," Kagome met his gaze, ebony eyes locked with ebony eyes. "But I need to speak to them both. I need… I need to be sure he'll be safe with her. For him to be able to lead a happy life and not go back to Hell with her."

"What do you mean?"

Kagome sighed and stared at the beads, her hands fiddling with each other and her obsidian eyes drenched in a river of gentle misery. "Kikyo may have made the necklace to subdue but I… I also made my own additions to it. I made it more than that once he refused my suggestion to take it off. I put my own power in there so that… so that she would not be able to take him with her down to Hell.

"I know he doesn't want me," she continued on in a plaintive voice that caught at the word 'want'. "But I love him, Yuu-chan and I want him safe and happy like he deserves. I can live my life without him just as long as he lives on with whatever happiness he finds. If Kikyou gives him that happiness and she promises not to drag him to Hell… I will be content."

Her words made even Wolfram's eyes soften towards her even though he tried to hide it. The only person in the room that did not look anything but tender by her speech was Gwendal who was trying very hard to let go of his clenched fists. His brow wrinkled violently and the corners of his mouth tightened until they were white at the edges.

How? How could she still love that half demon? It was stupid! This was the reason why he would never fall in love like that! Love was nothing but a waste of time! He would never understand it!

Yuuri's surprised eyes went from her to the necklace, awed by Kagome's sense of strategy. "So you put your own protection spell in the beads to keep him from Hell?"

"Please, Yuu-chan," she continued to plead with him. "If you want me to stay to help you out with the rebellion here then it's alright with me but I need to see him. I want to be sure Inuyasha's alright."

Yuuri took one look at Kagome's determined face before sighing and finally running a hand over his hair in exhaustion. There was no way he was going to get her mad at him again especially not when he just made up with her. He loved his sister and this was the very reason why. Because when she loved anyone it was with her whole heart and with every part of her being. And she would go to the ends of the earth if necessary for a loved one. He knew that for a fact. It was something they had in common.

"Fine," he finally consented with a weary sigh. "But I just need to wrap up some stuff here before we go. With this discovery, I doubt I'd be able to take you there myself. I can manipulate time, though so we can spend years here and still arrive a few hours later on Earth."

"Yes, Yuu-chan."

"And I'm going with you, got it?"

Despite his severe tone, Kagome beamed at him in relief. "Thank you, Yuu-chan."

"I mean it, Kagome-chan." Yuuri felt himself melting at her smile.

"I know!' she called back as she twirled away and exited the room. "Love you!"

Yuuri felt a small smile twitch at the corner of his lip at her giddy behavior. Yes, he may not like the idea of her going back and seeing that bastard but making her happy made it all worth it. Because like her he would do anything for the people he loved.

"Your Majesty," Gwendal's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and the Maou tuned to face his trusted general. "Do you think this is wise?"

Murata answered in Yuuri's stead. "Not to worry, Lord von Voltaire. Yuuri will have me with him when he takes her to see Inuyasha again."

Yuuri nodded at that.

"But it would be prudent to have extra precaution with you," Gwendal replied gruffly making both pairs of ebony eyebrows rise up at his words. "I am asking you to take me with you in this expedition."

Both soukoku rulers gaped at him but before they could say anything, Conrad interrupted. "As would I, Your Majesty."

Yuuri sweatdropped. "Well, look, you guys, no offense but this is Kagome's business, we can't really make her—"

"But the era she goes to… this Feudal Era— sounds so very dangerous. I am very sure it would be wise to guard Her Ladyship and keep her safe."

A slam on his desktop made Yuuri and the rest turn to Wolfram who practically had fire burning in his emerald eyes. "If you're going then as your fiancée I will go as well!"

Yuuri sighed helplessly. What was it about his sister that made life with boys so troublesome? But then again it seems to be something they had in common as well.

So with a faint smile and a sweat drop, he turned to them all. "Okay, I'll take you. Just don't make her mad, alright?"

At that they all nodded their heads.

Gwendal, though, darkly scowled at the beads left in the Maou's hands. He will not let this Inuyasha hurt Kagome ever again. By his name as Lord von Voltaire, he will make sure of that…

/*****/

"So she felt pain that one time when you guys were aboard the ship, am I right?"

Yozak looked at the Great Sage warily before nodding his head and answering as good naturedly as he could. As they say, there was no rest for the wicked. As soon as they were dismissed by the Maou, Murata met discreet eyes with a certain orange haired spy who gave him the smallest of nods. Moments later, Yozak found himself in the Great Sage's private rooms reserved for him whenever he felt like staying in the castle and fulfilling the second part of his report. And now it has come to this.

"Yup."

There was a hungry look on Murata's hidden eyes as he stared at the orange haired spy who was standing beside him while they basked in the glow of the night beside arched windows that littered his room at Blood Pledge Castle. "Was she surprised? Didn't she put you guys at risk because of the pain?"

"She looks like she's pretty used to it," Yozak replied truthfully, elaborating on his report. "It was obvious she was expecting that pain to hit because she took pains hiding it; when I asked about it she changed the topic. I think she's expecting more of it to come as well."

"Damn it!" Murata clapped a hand over his forehead as he paled with the realization forming in his mind. "It can't be! No, it's impossible!"

"Your Highness?" Yozak almost took a step towards him, worried. "Are you alright?"

Murata merely shook his head distractedly as he peered out of the moonlit night. "Yes, I'm fine it's just…" a memory of the shocked and sad look on Kagome's grandfather's face when Yuuri told him about Kagome not having a complete soul anymore flashed through his mind and things suddenly made more sense. "I'll need to talk to Grandpa again. I'll need to clear something up with him."

"Do you think it's safe for you to leave especially now, Your Highness? Especially with the rebellion going on and the traitors revealed?" Yozak raised orange brows at him.

"I guess not… But whatever they do from now on would easily be monitored by Lord von Voltaire especially since he knows who the specific traitors are. The only help they would probably ask of me is if Shibuya gets mad enough to try and destroy the castle again if those fools do anything to displease him further so I would suggest you do _not_ remind Yuuri about that little incident with Kagome and Willaperht," Murata smiled at the spy faintly. "Because I assure you that that will _not_ go over well with him again once Willaperht appears in front of him in a trial. That goes double for Shouri if he ever comes to visit. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah," Yozak sweatdropped, remembering his earlier outburst. "I can just imagine. His Excellency Gwendal wasn't too happy with us when he barged on in the middle of our little undercover operation either. Nearly bit our heads off. Willaperht was lucky he's still alive."

This information made the Great Sage raise a brow but filed that information deep in his mind to burrow through for another day; right now he had other much more pressing concerns. "Does Lord von Voltaire know about the pain Kagome had experienced?"

"No, he didn't witness it at all; it never happened again after the night when we discovered the smuggled maseki on the ship," Yozak shook his head. "I watched her to see if it would happen again but she's been pretty calm the rest of the way to Ichri. I even asked Hube since I asked him to watch her for me whenever I had to leave and he says she's been pretty normal aside from a few nightmares."

"Did he know what kind of nightmares she was having?"

"Something about that creep who left her for his stupid former lover."

Murata nodded. "You guys have been away almost two and a half weeks… It may happen again soon. See if you can watch her for it."

Yozak watched the distracted face of the Great Sage's reincarnation and debated asking the question that had been constantly on his mind since he had been instructed to watch over and observe every move Lady Kagome made. The curiosity only heightened as he got to know the young lady who was their Maou's twin and knew he had to settle the uncomfortable feeling plaguing his mind since the gravity of his mission was revealed to him.

Usually he would trust His Highness with his life and the life of the Maou but… can he trust him with the life of Her Ladyship…? "Your Highness? May I ask you a question?"

Startled, Murata turned away from the moonlit washed window and faced his most trusted spy. Usually he was used to Yozak asking him questions but something in his tone of voice caught the Great Sage's attention this time. "Yes?"

Yozak tightened his mouth just a little bit before staring straight into dark bespectacled eyes and spoke. "Why are you having Her Ladyship watched like this? Are you also doubting her loyalty to the Maou? Do you also think that she would betray him and kill him at a moments notice?"

"What? Why would you think that?" Murata asked, wide eyed and surprised.

"It's what the whole castle is thinking right now even though they're kinda puzzled that her adopted child turned out to be a demon," he shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "Heck, even _I_ was kinda plastered when the runt ran for her and called her 'Mama' as soon as Her Ladyship came through the gate and there was no mistaking the fact that the kid was of full demon blood.

"Also, other questions are running through my head," the bright haired spy stepped forward; now that he had started, he found that he was already on a roll. Curious by nature, he was never shy about satisfying that curiosity; which was also the reason why he got into cross dressing in the first place. "Like her humanity! Being born from a Mazoku father and a human mother would also make her half Mazoku like His Majesty, shouldn't it? But then her powers purify demons, Geika! If she held this power then surely it would have destroyed her as well but it hasn't! In fact, it seems as though her body was _nurturing_ this power! She's powerful… but shouldn't that power be halved or be influenced by anything Mazoku related? Your Highness, I'm sorry… But I won't be the only one asking these questions so if you're going to assign me to watch her I might as well know what's going on!"

Murata stared back at Yozak, his eyes hidden behind the glare of his lenses. The spy spoke the truth and he knew that so how much was he willing to tell him? What would Yozak think of him as soon as he revealed his greatest fears and suspicions about Kagome's body and spiritual make up? If Yuuri found out… Kami, he didn't even want to know what would happen.

With a heavy sigh and his fingers combing into his hair, the Great Sage faced Yozak fully and looked into his thirsty blue eyes before speaking. "Yozak… first of all I need you to swear to me that whatever will be said now will stay between us, alright?"

Struck by the seriousness and agitation in the tone, Yozak only allowed himself a moment of surprise at his Sage's uncharacteristic behavior before he firmly nodded his head and straightened his spine. "Of course, Geika."

"You know how she was born, right?"

"Yes, His Excellency Gwendal briefed us with it during the journey after she slept while we camped on the road."

Once more, Ken closed his eyes and breathed deeply before looking out into the moon bathed courtyard over the arched windows, trying to calm himself down. "Kagome is… she was not supposed to be born with any Mazoku blood at all. As the weapon that was supposed to be able to destroy the Maou, she was supposed to be fully human and I made sure of that by choosing a human soul as a foundation to create this power…

"But since I lost track of the spirit I was nurturing after it turned into the Shikon no Tama I lost control of its fate," Ken's fist tightened at the thought and his easy going façade dropped into a pained one. "I'm not really sure if it was fate or pure coincidence that Shibuya's mother Miko was of Midoriko's bloodline but somehow, through the years the Shikon in their family's blood was manipulating each generation's bodies, modifying it on its own until it created the perfect avatar since Midoriko's soul was unavailable. And that was Kagome.

"By all rights and purposes she should have Mazoku blood but since the Shikon was made from a soul meant to destroy anything Mazoku I suspect it must have been purifying that part of her constantly; the fact that her soul was founded on human ancestry instead of a Mazoku's like Shibuya and Julia's must have made this process easier for the Shikon and allowed her to live."

"But that can't be!" Yozak's eyes grew larger at each spoken word. "She should still be Mazoku, shouldn't she?"

"I don't know…" Ken sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall tiredly. "To tell you the honest truth… I'm not even sure what she is anymore."

This information made Yozak stop and hold in his breath. What could that possibly mean…? But did it really matter? "She is Lady Kagome; the Maou's regent and twin sister. I suppose it doesn't matter what she is."

"That's true but I'm getting worried, Yozak," Ken stopped the older Mazoku with dark eyes, weary and tired beyond belief. "The Shikon no Tama is already complete inside her body and she's telling me she wants to free Midoriko but I don't _feel_ Midoriko inside her at all anymore! It's as if they've merged somehow and I'm getting anxious. And then I found out she gave part of her soul away…! It's been worrying me ever since. If she's attempting to free Midoriko from the jewel like she says she wants to do then she would need all of her power; all of her soul…"

"But aside from that weird pain, nothing seems strange about her."

"Think, Yozak, a being cannot possibly function with an incomplete soul; us Mazoku would be crippled with only a small part of it taken away or if we die and our souls aren't round and pure before we are delivered to our next bodies we would not be whole. For humans it would have been more than crippling; it would be death. But Kagome walks, talks and functions as though it were nothing except for this pain at a certain period of time. What does this tell you?"

Yozak gaped before answering. "S-something else is supplying for the missing part of her soul to make her function…!"

Ken spared him a weak smile, nodding. "And since a human soul cannot carry on without its full entirety then what do you think is causing her mobility?"

Yozak's blue eyes widened further at this as the answer clicked into his brain like a jigsaw puzzle he once saw His Majesty present to Princess Greta on the celebration of the day of her adoption. It all made sense somehow. "Her Mazoku blood…!"

Ken spared him a tight smile before nodding jerkily once more and it fell once again to make for a face wrought in seriousness. "But think what will happen, Yozak, as her human soul gets weaker because of its incompleteness and the Mazoku blood in her gets stronger. Can you guess what will happen to her?"

The orange haired spy now had to back away from the Great Sage to lean against the opposite wall closest to the bespectacled soukoku; his face was as pale as a newly laundered sheet. "Oh Shinou…!"

Ken turned his eyes back to the dark courtyard and the waning moon before speaking. "Yes. Her miko powers would either purify that Mazoku part of her and thus destroy her only means as a life support… and kill her. I have no idea how she lasted this long, but it seems that her Mazoku blood is only getting stronger bit by bit as the years go by; it was the main reason why I didn't protest when Yuuri finally brought her here; the reason why I had her tricked into studying polite etiquette and poise while we were on Earth. I want to know what's happening to her; I want to know how to save her. Before Yuuri finds out and does something reckless!

"Also, I think you'll agree with me when I say Kagome is a good person; she doesn't need to suffer because of my foolishness and failure. If something bad happens to her I…" Ken sucked in a sharp breath but then tightened his resolve and slowly let the air out of his lungs again after a few moments. "You have to help me, Yozak. I must know what's going on. She won't tell me, I doubt she'd tell anyone either! But I can feel the danger around her because I created that soul…"

Yozak nodded and he swallowed before he spoke in a stronger voice. "His Majesty is allowing her to leave after we solve this incident with the rebellion; what will you do then?"

"I'll follow her of course!" Ken replied with his usual smile on his face. "I'll take that as an opportunity to speak with Grandpa again."

"I understand," Yozak bowed to the bespectacled soukoku in respect. "You can be rest assured, You Highness; I will do everything to ensure Her Ladyship's safety. Even if it costs me my life."

Murata nodded at him. "Thank you, Yozak; you may take your leave."

Yozak nodded and left the Great Sage to his own thoughts with a small, wry smile on his face. "Ah, Kagome-chan… You certainly do find protectors everywhere you, go, don't you? I'm glad… I guess you'll need them…"

"Hmm... so that is what you have been studying at the temple all this time."

Ken didn't even have to turn to glance at the small figure of Shinou leaning against a tall vase underneath a painting of a landscape. He didn't have to, after all. "Since when have you been there eavesdropping?"

Shinou sniffed haughtily at his words. "I'll have you know I do not eavesdrop. I was merely 'overhearing' your conversation with that young one."

"Oh yeah?" amused, bespectacled ebony eyes turned back to his old friend. "And how much did you exactly 'overhear'?"

Sharp blue eyes gone serious looked back at him and never wavered. "You think she's going to die."

Murata couldn't say anything. How could he when Shinou was correct?

"It is alright," Shinou continued, a smirk crossing his lips. "I will find a way to help you with this. You are not alone anymore."

And with that he faded into the darkness leaving the Great Sage to his morbid thoughts. And hoping Shinou would be right...

"Thank you, my old friend..."

/*****/

The roughly hewn stone dagger was lifted from its holy resting place once more and the brightly purified halves of a maseki and houseki glimmered into its leather hilt like a glistening eye watching every move the wielder made. Even inside the ordinary looking cloth he had been told to keep it under until the time he was to use it glowed eerily with the power bestowed upon him by his master. The wielder knew that, even if he worked hard on his houjutsu for a thousand years he would never be able to attain this kind of power.

The power that can kill a Maou…

Yes… from a distance he had watched the entire castle bustle in movement as they all prepared for the conference with the ten noble lords of Shin Makoku and with the distance and security around the king he would have no chance without failing in his mission. Also, he must attain the king's sister, whom his master so desired. He could still remember that night when he watched her from across the field; across the sacred altar she had destroyed as she once again purified the land of the undead. That power cannot be ignored especially when he saw what it did to the Mazoku.

He and his master would have her and then… Then a new dawn will begin. And his country will rise on towards the top of the world…

Soon…

/****/

_RIINGGG… RIINGGG…_

"Hello, Shibuya residence, the Great Metropolitan Governor Shibuya Shouri speaking."

"…And they all said _you_ were supposed to be the smart one in the family."

Shouri blinked as he stopped making his club house sandwich, both his hands busy so he had to keep the phone between his ear and his shoulder. "Souta-kun?"

"Congratulations, you found your brain." Said the young boy's voice from the other end dryly.

A nerve mark and a twitch appeared under Shouri's left eye at that. "Why you little—"

"Souta, don't be rude! Hello, Shou-kun?"

Shouri blinked at the much more pleasant feminine voice that replaced his irritating little cousin's. "Oh! Hi, Aunt Aki!"

"Hi, Shou-kun, I have been well; how about you?" she greeted him despite Souta's grumbling in the background.

"Oh everything's fine on my end," Shouri told her as he put on more mayo on his wheat bread. "Exams are going to be a breeze next week although I have to worry about Yuu-chan. I haven't seen him crack a book yet and I'm getting a little bit worried."

"Right, about Yuuri-kun," his aunt seemed to hesitate a bit before she continued. "He's been here a few minutes ago and—"

"What? Yuu-chan? He's been by?" that stopped any and all activity Shouri had with his masterpiece of a sandwich. "What did he need?"

"Um… Just some things for Kagome—"

"KAGOME?" the sandwich was completely abandoned in favor of the phone now that he heard his baby sister's name. "What happened? Did something happen to her? Did Yuu-chan say anything?"

"Actually… he says he's taking her to Shin Makoku for a while to take a break from Inuyasha," his aunt told him; she sounded a little confused. "I told him it was alright as long as it was alright with Kagome. You know how she is with the time travelling and all that, right? I was just wondering if he checked with your mother since he left so abruptly. It looked like he was swallowed in by a puddle of tea Grandpa spilled…"

At the background, the elder soukoku heard his Grandfather's voice shout out something like _'It was not my fault! He was a demon!'_ which was readily ignored.

"Auntie, what about Kagome-chan? What do you mean Yuuri's having her take a break from Inuyasha?" alarm and dread mixing inside him at the mention of his only sister and the hanyou he had heard so much about.

"Well…" and with long hesitant words the woman explained what Yuuri told her.

And with every word Shouri's face grew darker with rage. "And he didn't even have the decency to take her back here?"

"Uhh… Shou-chan…?"

"I'm okay, auntie, don't worry; I'll tell mom." He tried reassuring his Aunt Aki in his most controlled voice although his overprotective instincts were threatening to swallow him up.

"Thank you, Shou-kun, I just wanted to be sure there was no problem; give your mother my love."

"Sure, bye." As soon as the line went dead, Shouri wiped his hands on his pants and began to dial an international number on his phone. It rang five times before it was answered. "Hey, Bob?"

"…Shouri?"

"Yeah, of course it's me; who else has your private number?"

"Well hello to you too; I'm fine and doing great; how about you?" the deep voice on the other end of the line replied with cool sarcasm.

It only irritated Shouri more. "Look, whatever; Yuuri's taken Kagome back to Shin Makoku and I wanna know why; can you fix it up and have me go back there too?"

"Kagome?" Shouri could hear the faint interest sparking in the older Mazoku's voice. "Your sister?"

"Yeah, I already told you about her months ago; so can you help me out or not?"

Another odd silence answered him from the other line and Shouri's brows furrowed; why was Bob acting so strange? "Let me check; I'll call you back in three days."

" Three days? Sure. Thanks." Shouri answered with a bit of resignation in his voice. He knew travelling through dimensions was not as easy without Yuuri there so he would have to settle with what Bob could come up with.

After putting the phone down, Shouri scowled at the half done sandwich on his mother's beloved kitchen counter top as though it had just personally insulted him. He tried curbing the panic eating at him as he thought about Kagome and the possibility that she was in danger. Although he was not as close to her as she was with Yuuri he still felt the unusual urge to protect her despite the fact that he only knew her as a cousin before. There was just something about her that day on her father's funeral that made him want to move mountains for her.

When he and Yuuri found out that she was really his little sister he was ecstatic. He didn't know how he was able to forgive his parents for what they'd done but it was probably because of the fact that Kagome seemed so okay with it all. Although there were times when he couldn't help but blame his parents for depriving him of the experience of growing up with his cute little sister. It would have been so wonderful. He figured this was the reason why his mother often spoke about wishing she had a girl and the way she always dressed Yuuri up as a girl… How painful it must have been for Shibuya Miko to have to give up her own coveted daughter.

Well now he swore he was going to be there for her for thick and thin. He will protect her from anything and anyone. They can try and damage her and they would be _damned_ for it. Her and Yuuri both were his responsibility.

He needed to be by the twins' side.

He was their Big Brother, after all; even if they refused to call him that…

/****/

"…That is a heavy accusation to make, Lord von Grantz."

Everyone in the conference room was quiet but Gwendal could see how they were all agreeing with Waltorana about this matter.

Lady von Roshvall nodded solemnly after a while as well. "The Halifrid family has been under my family's protection since the 15th Maou, Breschgard the Braggart. What you say is… _unfathomable_!"

Rolf stood up from his seat, his palms slamming onto the surface of the table and face as red as his hair in sheer anger. After three hours being stuck here in this meeting he thought he was due some sort of release for his frustration. "The evidence is _there_ in front of you for _all_ of you to see! Isn't it strong enough to at least hold them for questioning? I demand to see satisfaction after what they have done to me and my men! Not to mention the fact that they have threatened Lady Kagome's life!"

Everyone stared at the knife in the middle of the table with Gautier's crest popping out of the hilt like an unrepentant sign of guilt. It made the von Grantz representative's rage understandable.

"Calm down, Rolf," Delchias told the younger Mazoku; the von Wincott representative holding up a pale hand in a bid for silence in his own dignified way. "Judging from what you said as well you weren't able to see any of your attackers' faces and all we have is Gautier's dagger. This may just be a ploy to divide the houses of Shin Makoku."

"But—"

"However, Lady von Roshvall," Delchias turned to the only lady on the table. "How would you explain the fact that your nephew was seen smuggling maseki out of the country and that he was witnessed by two of the ten nobles of Shin Makoku attending the ritual attempting to revive Sousho?"

"I…" the woman struggled for the words but came out with none, making her look away with a torn expression on her face.

Silence again descended on the dwellers of the large, ornate room as everyone became lost in their contemplations.

"It seems we are at a dangerous impasse," Waltorana said after a while. "The fact that the rebellion is actually supporting Sousho makes this that much more dangerous. We should pull off all avenues and investigate this matter further. But even if we do that then what should we do about the Halifrids?"

Lord von Karbelnikoff nodded solemnly. "The evidence against Gautier is pretty damning. Coupled with the fact that he was travelling and seen with both Willaperht and Reynaud at the same places and conducting the same behavior makes them a threat. If we prolong this we may not be able to suppress the rebellion from our end sundering our alliances with the other human countries."

"In addition to this," Gunter added in, his face uncharacteristically solemn. "The fact that they are accomplices to the theft of Lady Kagome's dagger makes them involved in an assassination to the king."

"Now wait just one moment—"

"I agree with Lady von Roshvall," Lord von Radford interrupted the lady before she dug herself deeper with the council by getting carried away by her emotions. "You are building up case after case on the simple fact that a group of upstarts have accosted Lord von Grantz and left a dagger belonging to Gautier Archimbald Halifrid as a basis for all the crimes committed here and now. What we need is a fair trial."

"Indeed." Was all Stoffel said as he continued nodding solemnly and trying to act smart all throughout the meeting.

No one paid him any mind.

"What do you think, Yuuri-heika?" The ball was back in Waltorana's court and he peered at the Maou sitting in a large chair right across from his to see the young king looking weary and seemingly nauseous as he sat slumped with his palm on his right cheek and his fingers splayed all over his face until his right eye was the only feature they could see. His unruly ebony hair fell over his fingers like cascading night and it looked as though he would like to burn the knife in front of them with his glare just because of sheer boredom. The picture he made had Gunter blushing and struggling from another nosebleed. "Should we have Gautier arrested and charged with treason?"

Lord von Roshvall sent the king an almost terrified look. Gwendal, despite his stoic appearance, couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Despite the fact that she was a very strong and brilliant woman he had known her to be a motherly figure to everyone under her protection. She had been the driving force to a lot of specific and strong changes made to their defenses particularly on the coastlines facing towards human lands since their lands neighbored the Karbelnikoff's who also had territories extending towards the sea. Over and above that she was very fond of Gautier who she had taken in after the boy was orphaned during the earlier wars they had with the human countries. Although she would not be able to make him her heir, she still treated him like family. And despite his logic he knew whatever punishment they handed out to the impertinent boy would hurt her greatly.

His eyes then turned discreetly to the Maou who was looking quite stressed at the predicament they were in. Gwendal just thanked Shinou that the boy had learned a little tact over the years and had known better not to blurt out every single thing that came to his mouth every time he disagreed with something and knew Yuuri had been listening attentively to everyone's sides of the story. He was a little bit surprised that his king was not running headlong into reckless plans today; like announcing he was going to go find Gautier or the king of Suberera and ask for their own sides of the story. He could just imagine what that would do the council. No, instead Yuuri was surprisingly contemplative. He wondered why that was.

Finally, the king broke the silence. "Let them present their case to me."

"Your Majesty—"

Yuuri ignored Rolf's protest. "We'll let them state their cases and talk this over with them as soon as they offer to present themselves at court. Kagome told me that Gautier and his friends seemed to want simple things; she tells me they struck her as a bit simple minded when she met them at Cabalcade."

Gwendal felt his blood boil at the reminder. Those three maggots were practically _leering_ at her back in Calabcade. Willaperht had his hands _all over_ her! He was half tempted to tell the Maou about it just to see how he'll deal with the insects but refrained. If Kagome did not tell Yuuri about it then she may have had her reasons. Like preventing Yuuri from committing murder.

What a shame.

"As it is, there's not much that we can really do. Since they saw Rolf and probably Gwendal out there in Ichri and knew them to be conspirators they'd probably try to find a way to escape," Yuuri continued in a way that surprised Gwendal enough to get his mind off of Kagome like it did these past three days. The king was speaking not like the boy he can be at times but a ruler. Judging from the looks on everyone else's eyes they were thinking the same thing and probably wondering where the king was getting this maturity today. "My concern applies on how this will affect our relationship with the other human countries. Now that we know that Suberera is backing up this rebellion against the alliance then we must be extra cautious about our dealings with them. But since this issue about Gautier is much closer to home then I agree we should deal with the problem now. For now I'm pretty sure those three are on the run. They saw Rolf out there when he killed that Brandt guy and they know he'll be returning back here. They will want to hide."

Here he shot Rolf an accusing glare to which the red haired Mazoku flushed at and looked away with a sullen scowl from. Gwendal knew Yuuri had chewed Rolf out for killing Sylvestre Brandt since the Maou had made it clear he was against killing.

Gunter came to his defense, though. "But the Lady Kagome said he has done so to stop the ritual; that there really was no other choice in the matter, Your Majesty."

Yuuri sighed and frowned at his tutor and advisor. "I know… but surely there must have been another way to do this—"

"If there was another way," Gwendal put in, looking at his king from over his folded hands. "I'm sure my lady would have already considered it."

The comment, as Gwendal predicted, made the king sigh. It did not take long after their reunion to notice how extremely devoted Yuuri was to his sister. So much so that he suspected that were the Maou and his regent not brother and sister then Yuuri would have been a worthy suitor.

He scowled and tried to shake away the thought from his head and the pang that suddenly assaulted his heart. He thanked Shinou that such marriages weren't allowed anymore and that the Maou was engaged to his youngest brother no matter how unofficial or how much the king ignored it.

The Mazoku general then scowled at his thoughts. But then again chalked it up to the fact that, as he _friend_, he wanted Kagome to be happy; and he doubted marrying her brother would make her happy. Especially when she was still pretty attached to that half demon menace Yuuri saved her from.

Inuyasha.

Every time he remembered or heard that name it filled him with such rage it was all he could do not to put his fist through a wall. It surpassed the emotions he had experienced with Willaperht in a sense. It became especially tempting to explode in a rage whenever he remembered the way Kagome said his name… Like the bastard was the very air she was breathing…

"Lord von Voltaire, are you alright?" Delchias asked him in a whisper of concern, drawing him out of his brooding.

"What?" he blinked a bit in confusion before composing himself again. "Of course."

"Oh," the younger Mazoku gave him an uncertain look before trailing his pale eyes over to his hand which was clenching the already cracking glass of water. "That's good, then."

Gwendal saw this and loosened his fingers from the poor drinking vessel, inwardly wincing at his unacceptable behavior. Usually at meetings like these his full attention was concentrated on the problem at hand; he allowed no distractions to divert him from the issue. But just the thought of her… of Kagome…

He swallowed the sigh that almost escaped from his throat. Shinou, he was going insane…

"You all speak quite so much about Her Ladyship," Stoffel commented huffily, disliking the fact that everyone seemed to be paying more attention to the female soukoku than him. He feared they would already put Lady Kagome on the pedestal he had once occupied as Lord Protector of the throne. "If she is so involved in all of this then why is it that she is not here to speak her thoughts on the matter? Or is she too concerned deciding on her new wardrobe to be able to voice the—"

A flash of pure, malevolent power blasted the surface of the table directly in front of Stoffel earning a high pitched yelp from him and surprise from the other lords except for Gwendal. Yuuri didn't move from his spot and remained motionless and Gwendal had to agree he couldn't help but be surprised at their Maou's unusual calm. Something was bothering him then… And he would bet everything he owned that this was because of Kagome.

Rolf, his hand on the hilt of his sword stood and glared murderously at the older Mazoku. "Never speak of Her Ladyship in vain ever again, Lord von Spitzberg; or you will have my and my family's wrath on you so fast it would make your head spin!"

Stoffel seemed taken aback at the warning for a moment before he reacted.

"How dare you!" the platinum blond Mazoku slammed his palms on the table and stood up from his seat glaring at the younger noble. "I was once regent of this kingdom! You will not speak to me in such a manner!"

"Your regency cost me a cousin-in-law to be!" Rolf snarled back at him. "So I think it is right for me to say that you should not speak to _me_ in such a manner!"

Everything fell so silent it was as though the very air around them was gagged. As always, the subject of Suzanna Julia's death was an awkward one.

Gwendal had to break it before the room was thrown into further depression that would eventually set everyone on edge and ultimately have them all at odds with each other. Trust Stoffel to make things a lot more difficult than they already are. Although he couldn't stop himself from shooting Rolf a narrowed glance. Since Kagome saved them back in Ichri the younger Mazoku had done a complete 180 change of attitude when it concerned the female soukoku. Since he was staying at the castle waiting for the other lords to appear this conference he often saw the red haired lord often playing with Kagome and her son and Greta in the gardens At dinner he pulled out chairs and opened doors for her. It was _sickening_. It was _vile_. It was… it was…

_It was exactly what he wanted to do…!_

"The king's decision has been made," the Mazoku general announced coldly to everyone in the room, gathering everyone's attentions as always with its grim finality, gritting his teeth against the emotions he was trying to suppress. "Gautier and the others we have witnessed during the ritual are all free to state their cases before the Maou once they choose to do so; in the meantime I am proposing they be stripped of their rank and power as honorable Mazoku lords until they decide to present their cases to their king. Now that we know Suberera is the root of the problem then we should conduct a meeting with all our human allies to help us decide what to do. Are you all in agreement?"

Hesitation crept in the room before there was a unison of 'Ayes' scattered around from the participants.

"Till then, we are dismissed." Gwendal finished and the Maou nodded, signifying his agreement.

All the lords at the table nodded, seeing the sense in his words and knowing there wasn't really much they could do about all this. Everyone filed out the door, Stoffel and Rolf exchanging dirty looks at one another even as Raven— along with Yozak, Hube, Wolfram and Conrad— came near to collect his lord. The building tension dispersed greatly when the large double doors of the conference room were finally partially shut and the hallways outside it had become silent once more. Yuuri visibly let out a big sigh of relief.

"So what happened?" Wolfram broke the silence immediately, setting himself beside his fiancé's chair. "How did Lady von Roshvall take it?"

"Just how did you think she will take such news?" Gwendal asked from his place now in front of the large French windows overlooking part of the formal gardens below, his hands behind his back in the familiar at ease position. "She sees Gautier as the son she never had; of course she would not take it well."

"Poor Regina," Conrad shook his head at this, his arms casually crossed over his chest. "She's a good woman who does not deserve this."

"And honorable," Gunter nodded from his seat. "I firmly believe that no matter what happens to Gautier she will abide by the king's decision. She is loyal to the throne."

"Gunter," Conrad turned to the lilac haired man seriously. "What was that explosion about earlier? Did someone threaten His Majesty?"

Wolfram rolled his eyes over. It was almost all he could do not to tell them they had to physically restrain Conrad from barging into the room at the sound and had to be reminded that the only maryokou signature increasing in the room at that time was Yuuri's and no one else's meaning the king was the one who caused said explosion that probably did nothing more than frighten Stoffel (who had shrieked the loudest at the time).

"Stoffel had the nerve to disrespect Lady Kagome," Rolf snarled, obviously still ticked off. "How _dare_ the fool speak of her in such a manner?"

"He's threatened," Gwendal felt the need to explain this, still not looking at the others. "In case none of you has noticed, he is still clinging onto the hope of being able to get back his status as Regent."

"Thoughtless cretin," Yozak put in, shaking his head at the absent blond Mazoku lord. "Does he really think he'll be assigned the Regency with or without Her Ladyship? He's dreaming."

"Where is she?"

The quiet question silenced everyone in the room and they all turned to the still seated Maou who seemed to be burning Gautier's dagger with his stare now. Not one of them needed to ask who he was referring to.

"The last time I saw her she was headed for the North Tower," Wolfram muttered, irritated that Yuuri would still be obsessing over Kagome. "Other than the garden she's been spending a lot of time there since they came back."

"It's the only place she can use her powers in a wide scale without hurting anyone," Yozak shrugged. "She's still looking for traces of the dagger."

"She can do it from here?" Wolfram looked up, curious and surprised.

"Apparently so," Yozak smirked at the younger Mazoku. "If you've seen her at Ichri then you would understand."

The blond huffed. "I'd rather not."

"Really, Wolfram, stop acting like a child!" Gunter started nagging.

Conrad smiled indulgently at his youngest brother while Gunter started to reprimand the blond who stubbornly turned his face away.

Hube interrupted them, though. "Your Majesty, I apologize for intruding but it is almost time for us to leave. Nikola has been sending me messages all morning."

Yuuri brightened at this and stood up. "Oh yeah! It's Elu's birthday! Sure, Hube, I wouldn't miss it for the world! Give me a sec and I'll go get my gift so we can leave."

"Ah, you don't have to—"

"What are you talking about, Hube?" Yuuri grinned wide at him as though he were not the serious faced ruler facing off an entire room full of hardcore politicians just a moment ago, excited at the thought of a birthday party. "Every kid should have a gift on their birthday! What about Kagome and Murata, are they ready yet? Geez, I didn't realize this meeting would take this long…"

"I'm sure she'll understand." Conrad told the young king as he smiled warmly at him.

"Oh! Conrad, can you do me a favor?" Yuuri was suddenly in the brown haired half Mazoku's face, eyes in their formidable puppy dogs.

Conrad sweat dropped but his smile never faltered. "Of course, Yuuri; what is it?"

"Can you go up to Kagome and tell her to meet us in the courtyard? I have to go back to my room and pick up Elu's present."

"Oh well—"

"I can do that!" Yozak raised his hand enthusiastically, practically jumping on the balls of his feet. "I'll get jouchan so we can leave!"

"No, Yozak, I need you to get Murata for me," Yuuri sighed at the other Luttenberg survivor. "You're the only one who knows where he is, remember? Besides, I need Conrad here."

The cross dressing spy pouted. "…Fine. The captain always gets the good jobs."

"Your Majesty, I don't think—"

"Please, Conrad?" Yuuri turned the puppy dog eyes again, cutting through the knight's protests. "Look, I'd send someone else but you're the only other half Mazoku around here that won't get pulverized once you get exposed to that pink death mist she's got going on around her and I really don't want to be late for Elu's birthday party."

"But I need to be beside you always." Conrad tried one last time, melting at the plea in his king's eyes.

"Pleeeease, Conrad?" Yuuri insisted. "Besides there's no difference whether you guard her or me. Kagome, after all is my twin; she's the other half of me."

Conrad looked like he wanted to say more but eventually caved and stepped back before bowing to Yuuri. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Hey, no fair!" Yuuri pouted at him.

"I'm sorry," Conrad's mouth twitched. "As you wish.. Yuuri."

And with that Conrad exchanged a smile with his godson and left to fetch the young miko.

"I should go and take our guest Lord Koritsu to the courtyard. It is only right that we invite him to the Brischela's estate to celebrate with us and strengthen alliances."

"Good idea, Gunter." Yuuri grinned happily at him.

It made the lilac haired man blush into cloud nine. "Ohhh, Heika! Such a generous spirit! Such a loving soul!"

Rolf watched, sweat dropping at his fellow lord who was practically floating out of the door to do just what he just said.

"Why should that woman get any special treatment at all?" Wolfram complained petulantly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "She's not _that_ important!"

"She's my _sister_." Yuuri deadpanned as he walked out the door to his room.

"And Her Ladyship needs to be protected as well," Rolf insisted as he followed them out. "For all we know, her life may be in danger now that we can't find the dagger. I'll need to go on ahead and check with my intelligence network to see if they found the dagger yet. My apologies if I won't be able to make it to Elu's birthday, Sir Brischella."

Hube nodded, knowing a von Grantz would not be willing to spend time with him and his if they could help it. Their history was long and bitter. It would not be easily forgiven.

Gwendal watched them all go, wanting to protest. He wanted to be the one fetching Kagome from the North Tower and felt something akin to jealousy that Conrad was chosen instead. Since coming back from Ichri he had not been able to get a moment alone with her because of the preparations he had to deal with the conference today and catching up with all the paper work that piled up while he was away.

He shouldn't even be thinking about it; shouldn't even _believe_ it! But he was aching. Aching to find her and touch her somehow as freely as he did back when they were still travelling. He had never felt such a need for someone else's companionship before in his entire life. For so long he had been isolated from friends, even his own family except when they needed him; but never had he wanted to be with someone just for the sake of being with them.

It almost hurt.

"Is this… what friendship is supposed to feel…?" he whispered to himself as he stared out of the window again, his fist clenched over his chest. "I'm not sure I like it…"

/*****/

Conrad really wasn't happy about having to be separated from Yuuri.

He knew that his king really loved his twin sister but he was not sure if he could fully trust her no matter what he tried to tell the others. The fear that Kagome's terrifying power would unleash itself and harm Yuuri was enough to put him through a state of overprotective insanity and it was hard to keep it in check especially now when Yuuri would never stop hugging and touching Kagome every chance he got as though he had missed the physical connection between them the whole time they were estranged. Yuuri was truly openly sweet to her; even going so far as abandoning his country to make her happy and Conrad was not prepared to like it. As long as she posed a danger to Yuuri then his guard will remain up. For if Yuuri was too blind to the dangers around him because of his trusting heart then it was his job to protect him from them. He cannot have Yuuri wanting to risk his life for that woman.

As he had said before; he could be a cold hearted man to the people who would harm his king.

"Why…? I don't understand…!"

The faint, frustrated voice of the Maou's sister drifted into Conrad's ears even as he neared the top of the castle's North Tower where he was informed she had been occupying for nearly half the day already. It was as though she had hidden herself away from everyone as soon as the conference began.

Conrad stopped just short of crossing the threshold that would put him on the wide balcony and tried to hide himself. If Kagome were trying to plot against Yuuri then now would be the best time to find out.

He peeked out of his hiding place only to see the young woman leaning against the banister that reached the top of her hips; she was panting as though she had just run a mile or doing something extremely taxing. He noted that she have already dressed in preparation for Elu's birthday party since she was wearing one of Gunter's many proud creations for her; an old rose colored gown printed with white clouds fading into several shades of pink before it joined the rose background again. The full billowing sleeves draped around her elbows and the round neckline modestly exposing a swan like neck and collarbones were trimmed with creamy lace of the highest quality. The skirts flowed lovingly over her hips and thighs that moved with her like water.

She raised her face up at the sky again and took a deep, calming breath, Conrad noted how her ebony eyes seem to mirror the color of the sky. The wind that swept around them blew her loosely flowing hair around her face like a lover caressing her cheeks before she straightened and held her hands up to the sky in a gesture of supplication while she closed her eyes. A pink mist rose from her skin to float around her once more.

Watching her Conrad had to honestly say that she was truly beautiful; charming in a way that Yuuri was. She seemed kind enough but she lacked a lot of Yuuri's innocence. She held the look of someone who knows too much. And the fact that she won't speak of her knowledge made him all the more suspicious of her…

He watched her as she remained still for almost ten minutes; hesitant to come close in fear of being harmed by her powers. But then withdrew the pink energy inside herself and she almost collapsed on her knees if she had not sought the support of the banister once more. Again she was panting.

"Crap…" he heard her pant. "Why isn't there…? There's no way, just no way it could be hidden like this! I don't understand…!"

Conrad felt his sympathy tugged. She was looking for the dagger. It seemed as though she felt responsible for it even though she was not the one who lost it. He should make her stop; this was tiring her too much.

"My lady?"

She snapped her head up in alarm and immediately tried to stand on shaky legs to face him. Upon seeing him she tried to smile but the smile was tremulous and Conrad could see a little bit of fear flash before her black, black eyes before they were replaced by a nervous smile. "Oh! Hi, Sir Weller! How... How are you doing?"

Conrad smiled at her and bowed politely five feet away from her. "I am well, thank you, my lady. The Maou is requesting your presence in the courtyard. He says Nikola is waiting for us at Elu's birthday party."

"Oh yeah!" she slapped her forehead at his words in self disdain. "Sorry, I forgot. I'll be right there, thanks, Sir Weller. Just… give me a minute."

She did look quite tired. He wondered if this was all she spent her energy on since she arrived. Yozak told him she was severely weakened when she purified the taint left behind by the ritual calling back Sousho at Ichri. Long, ingrained habit of watching out for women, literally beaten into his head by his own mother as he grew up coupled by his father's chivalrous genes forbade him to leave her in such a state no matter what he thought of her and he took a hesitant step forward.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

She looked up, seemingly surprised that he was still there. "Y-yeah! Yeah of course I'm okay! Really, you go on ahead, I'll follow."

She sounded breathless; he didn't like it and he started walking towards her. "Maybe I should carry you back—"

"Look, it's okay, Sir Weller," she told him tiredly; the nervousness he saw earlier changing into an acute weariness that had him blinking. It was an expression he had never expected to see on a woman when speaking with him. "You don't have to pretend that you're concerned about me, no one's going to see and I certainly won't care enough to tell Yuu-chan about it. Please, just go."

Her words made him stop in his tracks and stare at her. She seemed so dead tired she didn't even know what she was talking about. And although he kept his calm and cool expression, inside, his anger was beginning to boil over. He had heard such words before. In Mazoku women who saw him as a disgrace and a mistake being the half human he was. He had not heard it in a long time since he become the Luttenburg Patriot (at least not face to face anymore) but he could still see some of the expressions on the other nobles' faces. How they would demean him with their looks and sneers. Of course there were a lot of exceptions to that rule since he was the best swordsman in the land but still they were there. And since those people didn't matter to him in the least he didn't care. He had Yuuri and his family and that was enough. So why was her rejection stirring the old him up again…? The one who was hot blooded, impulsive and wild? Was it because… she was the Maou's sister?

In a clipped voice he began to answer her. "Do I disgust you so much that you won't allow me to even help you?"

At that she raised bright, ebony eyes at him. Those eyes that looked so similar and yet so different from Yuuri's. Those eyes that were a mix of old and new knowledge and a sadness that was eating her alive…

"What…? You're not disgusting." she told him softly, surprise lacing her voice. "Trust me, you're anything _but_ disgusting."

Conrad's scowl did not lessen but his anger softened. "I can't see any other reason why you would refuse my help and send me away when I just offered you aid."

"Is that all?" She sighed in exasperation. "Look, it's nothing personal, I just don't like people having to force themselves to be pleasant to me just because they have to; I am _not_ an obligation. I may be Yuuri's sister but I am _not_ Yuuri so you don't have to keep this whole I'm-So-Cool-And-Kind air around me, it just makes me uncomfortable."

At her words his anger dropped into surprise and he knew it showed in his face. "What?"

"Oh come on," she said impatiently, swiping a strand of her hair that had blown over her eyes to push it behind her ear. "It's obvious you don't trust me; I don't think you even _like_ me. And I can understand that, it's cool, you know? I just don't want you to force yourself to be polite to me all the time just to please Yuuri because it's obvious that's just what you're doing. I'd rather you acted like Wolfram; at least _he's_ honest about his feelings even if he does think I'm out to eat small Mazoku babies and kill him in his sleep. Your forced façade just makes me feel awkward and enforces the fact that I'm not welcome here even though I already _know_ I'm not welcome here. Besides, how can I trust you with Yuu-chan as well? I've got my doubts about you too, you know?"

Conrad had to stare at the young woman, amazed. How could she even know that? Was she able to read minds? No one could have guessed such a thing, not even Yuuri. His opinions were always neutral and Gwendal, Yozak and his mother were probably the only ones who can even hope to come close to predicting his movements. But this woman… this was the longest conversation he had with her since he'd seen her and yet she had deduced his thoughts with such frightening clarity.

It unnerved him enough to drop his façade and stare back at her in complete seriousness. "I have a duty to protect His Majesty the Maou from any and all threats inside and outside these walls."

"Okay, I'm cool with that," she replied.

"I don't trust you," he told her with complete frankness. "You keep too many secrets."

Kagome froze at that and she stood still and calm, eyeing him. "What do you mean by that?"

Conrad's eyes blazed with suspicion at her reaction. "Why did you even have that dagger in the first place? If you knew it would harm you then shouldn't you have already gotten rid of it?"

Kagome swallowed at that question but tried to answer. "I- It was just something to protect myself—"

"I don't buy it."

"It's none of your business!" she hissed back at him fiercely, both of them taking the stances of battle reasy warriors about to exchange blows. "All I can say is that I did not bring the dagger here to hurt Yuuri."

Conrad continued to narrow his eyes at her. "You are hiding so much more."

She was taken aback by this observation. "What?"

"What are you hiding?"

"That's none of your business," she snapped back. "Just be rest assured that it has nothing to do with you _or_ this country."

"But will affect His Majesty?"

"…Somewhat," she hesitated after a few moments, the sadness now overwhelming the fire in her eyes. "But with all of you around him, I'm sure he will be able to continue."

"What does that mean?"

But Kagome's eyes then met his and pierced into his soul like twin ebony daggers. "Are you doing this because he's the reincarnation of Suzanna Julia?"

Conrad almost took a step back at that. How could she turn the tables on him like this? "What? How did you—"

"I told you, he never keeps anything from me, Yuu-chan and Ken-chan have told me everything."

The knight was almost trembling. "You have no idea what—"

"I don't have to have an idea, I just want a straight answer, Sir Weller," there was steel in her voice that was hard to ignore. "Because I know what it feels like to have the person you love look at you and see someone else."

Conrad was stunned at these words until he remembered what Yuuri told them about her. The reason why Yuuri had forced her to come here in the first place. He straightened before he answered her with all the heartfelt sincerity he had in him. "Yuuri is Yuuri. He is neither the past or the future. He is everything to me."

That answer seemed to be enough for her. She gave him a small, wistful smile laced with such sadness it made his own heart ache before she covered it up with a grin. "Well, that's good to hear. That's all I wanted to clear up, after all."

Conrad stared at her silently and intently and marveled that such a small answer from him would make her so… happy. "I still don't trust you…"

She surprised him by smiling gently at that. "I know."

"It doesn't matter whether it be his family or my own; I will risk my own life if need be."

"I know that too."

"You are a threat to him simply by existing."

"Don't I know that _too_ well." She rolled her eyes at him in exasperation.

He ignored this and continued. "…But he loves you."

Conrad watched as her eyes turned wryly sad. "Yeah…"

It twisted something in his heart somehow. That deep, deep place inside him that only Yuuri owned. What was it about this young woman that made him want to share that place inside him? "And as such this obligation extends to you until you are no longer a threat to my king."

She stood up, still on shaky legs and gave him a dry half smile. "Alright then how about this: We both act like civilized people in front of Yuuri just for his sake since he both loves us very much and then we can tear each other's throats out while he's not looking? Does that sound fair?"

Conrad felt his mouth twitch a bit before he lost the battle and allowed a half smile to color his own face. "Yes; it sounds more than fair. Should we start over?"

She smiled back at him and nodded. "Of course, Sir Weller; why don't we begin with you calling me by my first name? My name, by the way, is Kagome."

He snapped his feet together and issued her a courtly bow with his right palm over his heart. "It is nice to meet you, Kagome. I am Conrad. May I have the honor of escorting you to the courtyard where His Majesty awaits?"

Kagome responded by extending her hand and held it out to him. "Yes you may; I would be more than flattered."

Conrad reached out and engulfed Kagome's hand with his own. The moment he did, though he was surprised at the warmth and softness he could practically feel emanating off her skin into his. When she was walking astride him he could smell the gentle fragrance of lilies of the valley floating around her like a mist and he figured this may be the reason why Yuuri like hugging her so much.

She felt like an oasis for a troubled heart and although Conrad tried to fight it he felt that she was a good person. All the way down the tower he couldn't take his eyes off her. Once or twice, she would look over and smile at him warmly as though he had not just questioned her sense of morality. Her presence was… soothing; and though he knew he shouldn't, her scent made him want it.

"Oh yeah, I never really got the chance to tell you," she broke their silence once they stepped onto the ground floor of the tower that allowed them access to the gardens. "Thank you."

Conrad blinked and stared down at her, finding himself melting at the sight of her warm, sincere smile that left him speechless for a while. "For what?"

She gave his hand a squeeze before she let go of it and walked on ahead. "For everything. For being here for Yuu-chan… For helping him throughout all this chaos. He's never really been good at adjusting to responsibilities thrown at him, he usually makes those responsibilities himself. Even though you look like you're just standing there behind him like his shadow I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him. Thank you so much… for loving him. Because I would not have been able to bear it, if the person he loves the most in the world loved him because of a past that could never be brought back again…"

Conrad opened his mouth, not really knowing what to say, but he was saved from looking like a landed fish when a cry echoed down the hallway.

"Mama!" Like a shot, Shippou had launched himself into Kagome's arms and was nuzzling her neck with his face in joy, Gwendal walking behind him with Kirara sprawled all over his left shoulder. The two brothers exchanged nods. "Are you done, Mama?"

"Yup! And now we need to go find Uncle Yuuri so we can meet Elu-chan and tell her Happy Birthday."

"Yay!"

"Hey, Gwendal," she greeted the Mazoku lord cheerfully. "I hope Shippou and Kirarta aren't bothering you too much."

Gwendal smiled at her softly, something that made Conrad's brows rise. "He's a favorite in the kitchens."

"Yeah, well, he is terribly cute, after all." Kagome laughed as she held her son.

"Mamaaa!" Shippou groaned. "Not cute! Handsome! Coz I'm gonna be a great big strong soldier like Gwendal some day!"

"Well then," Kagome raised her brows back at him. "Then you'd get too big for me to hug so I'll just take my time and spend more time hugging you while I still can."

Shippou laughed at that as they began to stroll down the hallway.

Conrad watched the pair walk away from him, stunned into immobility for a few moments. He had never really watched them interact since that first day they arrived because they mostly kept to themselves, afraid of how the castle residents would treat them but now… how could he not see that loving warmth reaching out from Kagome for this little demon boy. Loving him to the point that she was defying her very own humanity for him…

And then it was clear. She really didn't see him as half Mazoku; he was just Conrad Weller to her; the knight that her brother trusted with his life and the person she sought to protect Yuuri from…

So despite his other misgivings about her endangering Yuuri with her powers Conrad knew… given the chance, he could really like Higurashi Kagome…

"Conrad," the younger half Mazoku turned over to his older brother's gruff person and blinked. "She looked tired, what was she doing?"

Conrad nodded. "She was trying to find the dagger using her powers. It was taking a toll on her before I intervened."

It made the older Mazoku scowl. "I will speak with her."

Conrad gave his brother a smile. "You like her, don't you?"

Conrad almost burst out laughing as Gwendal twitched before turning his back on his and started following Kagome and Shippou to the courtyard. "Enough. Let's go."

Conrad refrained from chuckling but followed his brother. He loved teasing Gwendal, he was so gruff that it made teasing him fun. But he also knew that his older brother had fought with Kagome and these past few das he had noted the respect he held her in so he knew the young woman well. Maybe… he could learn to trust her. Even just a bit.

/*****/

Ermmm… REVIEW?


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **Ummm…. I'm really sorry for the long wait? Really Izadleen-san, Orihime-chan… (shivering) I really didn't mean it!

**Neuro**: No sorries; die, Bitch!

**Me**: SHUT UP! THIS WAS YOUR FAULT!

**Sasazuka**: What now?

**Me**: AND THIS WAS YOUR FAULT TOO!

**Sasazuka**: Me? What did I do?

**Me**: YOU DIED! WAAAHHHH! I WAS MOURNING YOUR DAMN DEATH, BASTARD!

**Sasazuka**: I didn't write the story, you know…

**Me**: SHUT UP! NOW DO THE DISCLAIMER!

**Sasazuka**: (sigh) Fine; she owes nothing you recognize so quit hoping.

**Baby Beel**: DAH!

Enjoy! ^^v

**Chapter 17: Elu's Birthday Party…**

"Shippou-chan, what on earth were you doing with Gwendal earlier of all people?"

Kagome asked Shippou as they rode on Yukishiro steadily just a little behind Yuuri and Ao's entire entourage. Shippou was in front of her enjoying the ride and Kirara napped on the horse's ebony mane. Originally they were riding astride Yuuri but Wolfram and his other retainers kept on overtaking her and she had the healthy suspicion that they were trying to make her fall from her horse 'accidentally'. Her one saving grace had been Yukishiro, though, since he snorted violently at anyone trying to even come within a foot of them so his soldiers pretty much kept away from her and her son. Now she found herself riding just in front of the maids they were taking to assist in the preparations for the party, a bit too far away from Yuuri and Ken.

Truthfully she was not expecting most of the ten nobles visiting for the conference would actually stop in the courtyard as she and the others were preparing to attend the baby's birthday party. She had gotten several sharp looks from Stoffel and his considerable escort. Lady von Roshvall completely ignored her while her soldiers shot her dirty looks and had their horses throw as much dust back at her as possible as they left (all very discreetly, of course). The other nobles studiously avoided her gaze as they rode past her and surrounded their lords as though they were isolating her from them. She had to smile at their protectiveness they were displaying for their monarchs.

Kagome knew it was going to be awkward. She got it; she understood. She wanted to fry them all to oblivion and back but she understood. So she did the next best thing that she could do under the circumstances.

Ignore them.

Yuuri was way ahead of her and since Gwendal, Hube and Gunter were holding the front of the entourage to secure the Maou they didn't notice her predicament. She was a little surprised at the worried looks she got from Conrad and Wolfam, though albeit they kept it carefully hidden. Both held their places behind the king's and Great Sage's mounts, Greta riding on Wolfram's horse happily chatting with Ken. Right now the only people near her were Yozak the maids and a dark green haired woman she had never met before. They were all obviously avoiding her so she sought to keep her son from the awkward climate by engaging him in conversation.

"I hope for your sake you weren't bothering him, young man." She continued, prodding him gently.

Shippou shook his head sincerely at his mother. "I wasn't, I promise! He came to tell Greta to wait with the others at the courtyard but I told him I didn't want to go without you. He told me Conrad was going to get you but I wanted to get you myself so he took me and Kirara to where you were! Although I told him I could have found you by your scent he insisted he come. He smelled worried, Mama."

That information put a warm smile on Kagome's face. "Probably worried I was destroying the castle."

"Eh?"

"Nothing, nothing," she lovingly caressed the fox kit's fur out of his face and smiled at him tenderly. "How is everyone treating you at the castle?"

That put a large grin on his face. "Everyone's so nice, Mama! They would always give me and Greta sweets and lots of food and plays with us. There's something weird about them, though."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Every time I mention you they flinch. It's like they're afraid of you." Shippou bit his lip at this as realization dawned in his clever little head. "Mama, is this going to be like when we visit the villages where that crazy monk Ungai held his sermons gonna be? Because if it is and the people here are going to try and hurt you then—"

"Hush," Kagome held Shippou closely, burying his face in her stomach. "No, these people are good, they're just a little afraid that's all."

"They're afraid of you," Shippou looked up at her and Kagome had to smirk a little wryly at the sharpness in his bright green eyes. "They think you'll hurt them."

"Do you _think_ I'll hurt them?"

"Nuh uh!" Shippou immediately shook his head grimly at her. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Shippou," she eyed him sternly. "Don't talk like that!"

"But I don't want you to get hurt, Mama!" he protested and his eyes reminded Kagome of Yuuri's when he was being stubborn about something. "And if you don't want to hurt them then I'll protect you! I promise!"

"Well said, lad!"

Kagome turned and gave Yozak a small glare which he responded to with a smirk. "That is not very good parenting, Yozak."

"Hence why I am _not_ a parent," he chuckled at her, reaching over in an attempt to ruffle her hair only to be snorted at by Yukishiro and nearly having his hand snapped off by its teeth. "_Cripes,_ you possessive demon horse! I was just going to _touch_ her! Seriously, do you have any idea how much I _hate_ you?"

"Ha! Well _I_ happen to like him." Kagome gloated, petting the horse's side and receiving a gruff whinny in return. "Good boy, Yukishiro!"

"Geez…" Yozak then sighed and turned back to her again seriously this time. "Anyway, as I was saying, the kid's right to be worried. After the conference today some of these nobles will _want_ to eliminate you just to deny what you've uncovered. Treachery is no small sin for these people; they're a bunch of proud fucktards who grew up with big, long, fat royal sticks stuck up their shiny little asses with the exception of Lady Cherie and her family." He glanced at Wolfram's direction and smirked again. "Well, _most_ of her family anyway. It's easy to imagine them crying for you to be burnt at the stake just because of the accusation to the Halifrids and the others and the only thing keeping them from doing that is the Maou's obvious fondness of you, but that's no security blanket either. I'd watch my back if I were you."

Kagome rolled her eyes back at him. "Thanks. But I don't think fighting back is an option here either, however. It would only make the problem worse."

Yozak sighed heavily at her response and scratched the back of his head wearily. "You and bocchan are just a pair of bleeding hearts, aren't you? Why don't you guys just give your enemies swords and just open up your chests for them to stab at while you're at it?"

"I'm no a bleeding heart," she frowned at him. "I will fight if I have to but openly defending myself to these people would be fruitless. Trying to fit in would only give them the opportunity to use, humiliate and reject me and I don't want to know how that will affect Yuuri's standing when that happens. They can do this subtly and pretend there would be no malice but by insulting and humiliating the Maou's sister the Maou will slowly lose control of his court. When that happens and the Maou's power is relegated to nothing more than a figurehead then there would be trouble for Shin Makoku. As loyal as the ten nobles are to him, the other nobles of lesser families who are starting to gain power in the kingdom would take this moment of instability to divide the country and launch they're own fiefdoms which would lead to civil turmoil and weaken the country. It would be disastrous."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Yozak gaped at her, nearly falling off his horse. "Shinou, where did all _that_ come from? You didn't have to make it so damn complicated!"

Kagome gave him a wry smile. "That's how politics works, Yozak. In case you haven't heard yet, Gunter's taken it on himself to tutor me in the way of things here in the Makoku."

"And your standing in the kingdom just randomly came up in between his lectures about Gerrad the Gullet and Darren the Destroyer?" Yozak asked sarcastically.

"You should know this of all people since you are part of the military yourself," she ignored is sarcasm. "One little shift and everything falls apart. These times are tense especially with the discovery of betrayal. Gunter just told me what to expect. I am just another window of opportunity they can use to their advantage and I am going to make sure they won't have that chance. So it's better that they fear me than use me in the attempt."

"_Gah_, you just made my head ache!" Yozak groaned but in reality, the cogs in his head were starting to turn as the frightening possibilities she presented all made sense to him. He should tell His Excellency Gwendal about all this when they got the chance. If he didn't respect Kagome already he would have certainly done so now. Too bad he needed to keep up appearances and not show her just how much. "Are you sure you're bocchan's sister? Because you're a little bit too morbid."

"Mama has to deal with that kind of stuff in the place where we came from, too," Shippou piped up, peering at the orange haired man from Kagome's arms with wide, intelligent green eyes. "Because she's the smartest miko around, human lords and generals ask for her advice and help in governing _their_ lands. Not all of them could read back there, you see?"

"Seriously?"

Kagome chuckled at his expression. "Well it's pretty much the past; 500 years before Yuuri and I were ever born. It was a time of war and famine and lords conquering the lands of other lords. Where the most important thing in the world is living another day to repeat the cycle all over again. I try to keep out of the feuding for the most part but I tend to be neutral when I can't avoid it all together. It became a thing I was known for after I completed the Shikon no Tama and replaced Kaede as village miko."

"So you lived in a village? Not a palace or a fortress?" Yozak asked intrigued by the chance to take a peek at the life Kagome had lived before she came to Shin Makoku; although she mentioned some of her escapades with him and Hube while they travelled together they really didn't have time to explore her tales at all. This was the first time she ever spoke of duties as miko outside protecting the Shikon no Tama. From what he observed, that jewel took most of her life. "What about servants? Attendants?"

"Attendants?" Shippou blinked up at Yozak. "What's that? You mean like servants?"

"Err… yeah." Yozak responded as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"We've got friends and the villagers to help me around with stuff," Kagome answered for the little kit. "It's a poor village making a living out of farming and occasional trading. Lately I've made some progress encouraging them more towards trade and started teaching them to make simple jewelry made from the rarer types of trees surrounding the area and a monk friend of mine helps me make wooden charms as well whenever he and his wife comes around to visit. It's simple, but life is improving drastically especially without Naraku around."

"The village is the wealthiest around for miles!" Shippou puffed out his chest proudly. "My mama made it that way; that's why even the other lords visit her and talk trade stuff with her."

Yozak frowned, keeping pace with her horse on his own mount. Her life sounded like… like the life he had led on that barren land that took his mother away before Dan Hiri Weller took him away to Shin Makoku. He could still remember the hardship, the hunger and the sickness barely covering the scent of death that was constantly hovering over them all at that time. It was painful. "That sounds like… a much too simple a life for you."

"It's actually pretty good once you get used to it." She said with a little chuckle. "Although, training the farmers to fight to protect us from raids _did_ drive Inuyasha half crazy."

Yozak had no idea, truly he didn't. He knew the Maou wasn't incredibly wealthy back on Earth but he lived decently and respectably; managing to acquire anything he wanted without much effort at all. When here, he was the most important person in the country and had all the luxuries of life given to him which he usually took for granted most of the time. It was the same experience, after all, the only difference was the grandeur. This young woman had the same upbringing on Earth but instead of living the life of a princess like she should she lived the life of little more than a pauper whenever she came to her world, helping poor people was given to her as her responsibility. She has nearly the same responsibilities as the Maou; the same expectations and tasks only with a lot more hardships and a limited amount of power. But she shouldered it all with a smile on her face; she was obviously used to it.

It was no wonder His Majesty was so hesitant about letting her go back…!

His thoughts were interrupted by a stage whisper of a grumble from beside him and found his eyes blinking at Kagome whose face turned as red as a cherry.

"Ehehehe!" she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Guess I forgot to eat anything back at the palace."

Shippou giggled and patted her stomach. "Mama, your stomach's loud!"

Yozak roared with laughter along with her and the fox kit. Kirara, who woke up because of the commotion meeped in a way that made Yozak think it was laughing at the miko as well.

"H-here, my lady," their laughter stopped at the gentle feminine voice that interrupted them. They all looked up to see Sangria nervously smiling at Kagome and holding out a modest sized picnic basket with Lasagna, Effee and Doria sitting in their open wagon, Dorcas pulling at the horses with a grin for the female soukoku. "W-we packed this as our lunch for while we're on the road since we're supposed to work the moment we come to the Brischella family's palace and won't get the chance to eat again until after the event. You can have some, i-if you want to that is."

Yozak blinked. He knew how the maids cowered whenever Kagome was in their immediate vicinity and how they gossiped about her. He wondered at this sudden change of heart.

"Really?" Kagome pinned glossy puppy dog eyes at the maids that had the three Mazoku women flinching back before sweat dropping when they realized Kagome was not out to get them. But then the young miko's hopeful expression dropped. "But I can't possibly take your food. I mean, you'll be working hard all through the day once we get there! I'm only expected to sit around and stare at the guests."

The four maids stared at Kagome for a moment as though she just announced she was in love with a Sand Bear before they all started laughing like excited little birds, giggling against each other's shoulders as though they'd gone mad.

"Umm…" Shippou whispered against Kagome's chest. "Are they okay?"

"Oh don't worry," Dorcas replied dryly from his seat. "This is normal."

Kagome, Yozak, Shippou and Kirara blinked all the while and stared at the three maids as they they calmed down.

"Oh, Your Ladyship!" Lasagna gasped. "Trust us when we tell you you'll be doing more than sit and stare in an event like this!"

Doria was the one who calmed down first. "We'll trade you our lunch if you tell us more about this Feudal Era where you come from, my lady."

"Yes, please?" Effee spoke over the blond maid with gleaming hopeful eyes and her hands folded in on each other.

"Well…" Kagome bit her lip, hesitating for a moment or two before giving in and grabbing the picnic basket from Sangria's hands. "Okay… but I'm warning you guys right now that it's not all that pretty… It's certainly no fairytale story by any stretch of the imagination."

"Is it true that you hold a position in a small village?" Doria added in, peering over Lasagna's shoulder to get a better look at the soukoku female. "Like a governor or a minor lord?"

Kagome sweatdropped. "Well I wouldn't call it a lordship, really; I'm just a peasant like everyone else in the village; it's just that they respect me because I can protect them from demons trying to eat them and they do what I ask of them because they know it's best for the village."

"What?" Sangria's jaw dropped in horror and disgust. "Demons eating humans! No demon would do something like that!"

"Well demons in that time and place are different from the demons here," Kagome wanted to hit herself over the head for even mentioning this part but she guessed it was too late to take it back now. "It's like the opposite of here. Demons there are mostly uncivilized and terrifying with usually chaos the only thing on their minds.

"There are some of them who are considered royalty, though and they are the ones who can take humanoid form. They are usually the beautiful ones like you guys. We call them daiyoukai."

"Dai-you-kai…?" the four maids tested the word on their tongues in wonder.

"They are powerful and fearsome; demon lords of their territory and anyone who tries to harm them and theirs meet a very painful end," Kagome continued in between munches of deliciously thick sandwiches filled with ham, cheese and lettuce. "Their magic is unparalleled in my world."

"Magic?" Doria asked. "But His Excellency Conrad says you can't use maryouko on earth except for the Maou himself!"

"It may have something to do with the dilution of nature or a shift in the energies in youkai but in that era, magic is very prevalent. It was said that demons were nature spirits in our world. They exist because of nature and since nature back then determines the survival of humans then demons lord over that power;" Kagome told her captive audience. "One of them was even able to control life and death with a sword created from his own fang."

"Fang?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot!" Kagome blinked. "You see, back then, demons take on the forms of animals and live with nature as predators and prey. They fuse their magic with nature. That's why I said the reason why no one can use majutsu back in my time anymore was because of the dilution of nature. There's nothing else to fuse that power on. Then again it may be because there aren't any full blooded living demons in my time anymore so their magic's probably diluted as well."

"That would make sense," a new voice came on from beside Yozak. Everyone turned to see the green haired Mazoku woman Kagome noticed earlier on her mount clearly listening to them as well. "Conrad said that your world had too much people in it and so much of nature has been taken down because of progress."

Kagome blinked at her several times, her mouth full of sandwich. "Umm…?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the green haired woman grinned back at her. "I'm Gisela; I'm a medical officer for the army."

Kagome swallowed hard before returning her smile with a bright one of her own. "Hi! I'm Kagome! It's nice to meet you!"

"Same here!" Gisela replied with a bright smile of her own. "I am honored to finally meet the Lady Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome grinned back at her sheepishly. "Yeah I wasn't very sociable with everyone since I got here; I'm sorry for being such a burden."

"Oh no, not at all, my lady," Gisela protested, wide eyed at her. "From what I heard from my father, you have helped this country greatly. He can't stop talking about you."

"Eh?" Kagome blinked back at her. "Who's your father?"

"Lord von Christ."

"_Gunter_?" Kagome blurted out in surprise making the others stare at her oddly. She laughed nervously at that when she noticed the looks she was receiving. "Sorry, I didn't think Gunter can… erm… reproduce."

At her answer, Gisela burst into a fit of giggles joined by Yozak and the maids.

"Don't worry about it, I get that a lot," Gisela told her after finally having her fit under control. "No, Father adopted me and raised me. He was a soldier back during the times when the country was at constant war against the human countries and my parents were killed in one of the raids on the country border out east. Father was commander of the troop sent to defend my village back then and they managed to push the enemy back. I was the only one who managed to survive in my family. He found me surrounded by my dead parents inside our house and decided to adopt me. I was nine at the time. I've been with him since."

The soukoku miko's face softened at the story and she gave Gisela a soft nod of sympathy. "I'm sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how you felt back then."

A little surprise passed through Gisela's face before it broke in a soft smile of her own. "It was a long time ago but thank you."

Kagome noticed that Dorcas suddenly became all stiff when Gisela came up beside them and her brow knotted in worry for her friend. "Are you alright, Dorcas?"

"Uh, _YES_!" he suddenly shouted his posture so stiff and straight that Kagome was afraid he'd break in two. Cold sweat rolled off him like bullets until she thought he was about to get an aneurism.

"DorCAS!" Gisela suddenly shouted in a way that made Kagome, Shippou and Kirara huddle against each other on top of Yukishiro in sheer shock. "_What do you think you're doing?_"

"DRIVING, MA'AM!"

"YOU CALL THAT DRIVING? HOLD YOURSELF UP WITH SOME SORT OF DIGNITY IN FRONT OF LADY KAGOME!"

"MA'AM, YES, MA'AM!"

"IF I SEE YOU SLOUCHING ONE MORE TIME, YOU'LL BE CLEANING THE STABLES UNTIL YOU'RE 500!"

"EHH?"

And then Gisela suddenly turned back to Kagome's mount and all three huddled together tighter, flinching even though the green haired Mazoku was smiling at them like a delicate angel of mercy. "Please don't mind Dorcas, he forgets his place sometimes."

"Ermm…" Kagome sweat dropped. Frankly, she didn't know what to say.

Except to comment on Gisela's exceptionally powerful pair of lungs.

"Anyway, my lady, I just thought to warn you," Gisela's countenance suddenly became serious and it alerted Kagome to the change in the atmosphere around them. Yozak tensed in response and unconsciously tightened his hands over the reins of his mount as he listened. "The ten nobles are the least of your concerns. Evenm though Lady von Roshvall is still in denial she would not try to hurt you. What you need to watch out for are the other lesser nobles. They are the ones who will want to bring you down."

Kagome's eyes brightened, first in surprise then in realization before dark determination replaced it. She nodded sharply at Gisela in acknowledgement. "I see. Thank you very much, Gisela. I'll take that to heart."

In a flash the green haired medic was back to smiling as though she had just won the ultimate lottery. "No problem!"

"What is going on here?"

They looked up, startled, only to smile at the sight of their Maou slowing down his horse until Ao was trotting alongside Yukishiro who surprisingly stayed calm, Conrad and his own stallion calmly rode beside him providing a reassuring and protective shield to ward off any threat to the king.

"Oh nothing," Kagome smiled up at him mischievously. "Just talking."

"About what?" Yuuri asked a bit suspiciously.

Kagome turned innocent wide eyes at her twin brother almost prompting an unwilling snort from Wolfram who was watching them as secretively as possible from a little behind Murata's horse where he was cradling and entertaining Greta.

"Oh there was this really neat story about people hearing strange noises coming from your bedroom whenever Wolfram comes along to sleep—"

"HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I TELL EVERYONE THAT WAS JUST A BIG MISUNDERSTANDING?" Yuuri yelled all of a sudden as he turned purple. "I WAS DREAMING ABOUT WINNING THE COLLEGE FINALS!"

"Ohhh? So that's what they call it these days?"

"SHUT UP!"

Kagome then laughed out loud, garnering a mix of stares from everyone in the entourage and an especially intense one from a certain pair of Prussia blue eyes.

"I'm glad that the rumors of a problem within the Maou's household were deeply exaggerated."

The twins turned in surprise and saw Koritsu riding almost astride from them. Kagome blinked and wondered how she failed to notice him there and noted that he was wearing rich a wardrobe that were obviously foreign in design, probably to display Zorashiya's culture as the range of cloths in every shade of brown and copper where inlaid with bronze and gold threading depicting heads of wheat and grain. She had to admit that he was a good looking man but the thing that got her attention the most was the cylindrical canister riding on his back no bigger than the size of a quiver. She wondered if it was a gift for Elu.

"Rumors?" Yuuri blinked at him, twisting his body to get a better look at their guest. "What rumors?"

"Well," Koritsu blinked and then blushed a bit, flustered at being put on the spot. "It's just that… ever since I came here I always hear rumors about the Maou's advisors and court not liking the presence of the Lady Kagome in Blood Pledge Castle. It's strange but… I just hear servants talking about how she's the source of some difficulties around the Maou's court."

"I can assure you that they are nothing but rumors, Sir Koritsu," Conrad intervened smoothly with his all too familiar smile that had Kagome sweat dropping. Something told her the smile was anything but sincere. For her, who had easily picked up on the half Mazoku guarding her brother's feelings, it was not hard to see the handsome knight was warning the poor man off. "Servants end to exaggerate what they hear behind closed doors, that is no secret."

"Eh?" Koritsu blinked at them. "So there are no hard feelings between the Maou and his sister?"

Kagome, understanding what a potential diplomatic bomb it would be if she denied it, lent a hand in Conrad's explanation and smiled at little at Koritsu as she reached for Yuuri's hand. "I love my brother, Sir Koritsu. Though we may have different opinions like normal human beings that love will never change. You understand, don't you? I'm sure you also have siblings?"

"Ah yes!" the brown skinned man laughed sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "My sisters can be a pain sometimes but I wouldn't want to live without them."

"Then I'm sure you know the feeling," Kagome nodded slightly at him with her back straight.

Yuuri agreed with another nod. "We're sorry we couldn't spare you time after you came; we were so busy. After you went out of your way to help us and all I kinda feel bad."

"Oh it's no problem!" he laughed. "It's the least we could do for our princess' guardians. You teaching her to become the perfect Duchess more than offsets any deficits between us."

"I hope you aren't having it too hard," Kagome commented thoughtfully, earning her the man's full attention. "We have heard rumors on the way to Ichri that the king of Suberera was putting pressure on Zorashiya lately making livelihood scarce because of their current relationship with Shin Makoku. Since the late Duchess Izura was related to the king it makes him also eligible for the title of duke, right?"

Koritsu blinked and something flashed in his eyes before he laughed shyly. "Oh not to worry; the king of Suberera wouldn't dare do anything to Zorashiya knowing you have the heiress of the Duchy under your care. Plus, with the presence of the Maou's many human allies, waging war against the Duchy would mean war."

"That's good," Yuuri grinned warmly. "Because that's the last thing that I will ever allow."

"You really do despise wars, don't you, Your Majesty?" Koritsu asked him politely and with a bit of awe in his voice.

Yuuri nodded cheerfully. "That's true, but then this isn't a place to think about things like that. It's Elu-chan's birthday! This is our chance to take a short break from all the dangerous things happening lately, right, Kagome?"

"Whatever you say, Yuu-chan."

Koritsu laughed at their interaction. "You two sure are close. It is unusual to see such a close familial relationship in the house of Suberera."

"Has it always been like that?" Kagome asked their guest curiously all of a sudden. "The relationship between Zorashiya's late Duchess and Suberera's king? I mean, Greta's mother was the king's sister wasn't she? But from what I heard from Yuu-chan and Ken-chan and according from the little I have read in the palace library and archives, Greta was never looked on favorably in the king's household. Did he despise her that much?"

From the corner of her eye she noticed Conrad stiffen in his saddle a bit. Kagome wondered if she said something wrong…

"Ah," Koritsu shook his head sadly at that. "True, the late Duchess Izura was the king's younger sister and princess of Suberera until she married the Duke of Zorashiya. I don't really know everything but from what I heard from Father the king of Suberera had never really been very close to her since they were each raised by foster parents. They have especially grown apart when my Lady Izura chose to marry the Duke of Zorashiya against her brother's wishes who wanted her to become one of the king of Big Shimaron's wives. Since Zorashiya has always had absolute autonomy because of their line's reputation as fierce warriors and has had a lot of support and popularity from the neighboring countries from even before that, there wasn't a lot he could really do about it. The Duchy was recognized by even Big Shimaron. Princess Greta's birth was not part of the king's plans and for that he may have despised his sister and niece because of it."

Shippou scowled. "That's absolutely unfair! It wasn't Greta's fault it turned out that way."

"I agree!" Yuuri exclaimed unconsciously mirroring Shippou, puffing his cheeks out in the adorable way Kagome had always loved. She could feel his indignation seep right into her and she noted with her miko senses just how powerful Yuuri was. "Everyone should be able to love and be loved by however way they wish!"

Kortisu blinked back in surprise at the king before he smiled at the little fox kit and monarch. "That's true but the king of Suberera is a man with a lot of pride, he is also very vindictive. Once he has been thwarted, he never forgets."

"He sounds like a thug," Yuuri frowned darkly as he glanced at his foster daughter as she laughed at something Murata said. "And I will never let him touch Greta for as long as I'm breathing."

"Is that wise?" Kagome asked, a bit concerned about her brother's resolution. She knew Yuuri all too well and once he decided on something it would take a miracle and a blue moon to change it. "Greta still has claim over Zorashiya's throne; won't the king of Suberera try to take that away from her by considering her adoption by you a form of abandonment?"

"Oh don't worry!" Yuuri grinned at her. "Gwendal already talked to me about that and he said as long as Maoritsu knows Greta is planning to take over once she's of age and be given the choice then the king of Suberera would have no right to denounce her inheritance. We've worked it out about three years ago after Maoritsu first came to visit us and asked to take Greta back to Zorashiya."

Kagome shook her head at her brother. "Wow, Yuu-chan, you're so lucky you have Gwendal… What would you do without him?"

Yuuri laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "I ask the same thing myself every single day."

From not so far ahead, one could see Gwendal's ears burning red as he stared straight at his path.

"Aniue?" Wolfram asked his older brother in concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." The Mazoku lord answered curtly before urging his horse to trot forward a bit further to avoid the others.

/*****/

Gisela and the others watched as Kagome laughed and talked at the king's side and, without even looking at each other, reached for each other's hands as both rode astride each other. Despite the tension of her presence in their party, no one could take their eyes off her for even a moment. It was as though they were mesmerized by every move she made…

"Well that was a surprise," Yozak finally spoke after the tension lessened and the others' attentions were reverted back to the soukoku couple at the front of the group entertaining their guest. He looked at Gisela with a raised brow. "What was that all about?"

Gisela looked back at him with a smile. "I just heard her talking to Doria and the others and their topic intrigued me so I decided to join in."

Yozak blinked before grinning at her. "I see. So what did you think of her?"

Gisela turned her eyes back to the lady in question now softly conversing with the king and making him laugh and yell all at the same time. "She certainly wasn't what I was expecting."

The spy raised his brows at her and she elaborated instantly. "When I told her my story and she said she couldn't imagine what I felt back then… I think she was lying." The female officer looked up at him and continued soberly. "I think she knew _exactly_ how I felt."

Yozak blinked at that before frowning, contemplating over this comment before deciding to divert the discussion and make it lighter to avoid getting unsavory attention. Somehow it bothered him to think about Kagome in such a situation.

"It's possible. She doesn't talk much about what she's done in that world of hers but if you base it off His Majesty's reactions I'm guessing they were pretty bad." Yozak nodded before turning back to the now blushing maids. "How about you guys? You aren't afraid of her anymore?"

The maids blushed; Effee was the one to break the awkwardness. "Well Prince Shippou was telling us all these stories about her and… well… we got curious, I guess."

"And now? What do you think about her?"

"She's _lovely_!" Lasagna breathed with a dreamy look in her eyes. "No wonder Lord Gunter was so obsessed with making her clothes!"

"And can you believe she had done all that for a poor little village?" Doria asked them, eyes wide. "So much work for a princess!"

"I want to hear more about her era!" Sangria gushed, practically jumping off her seat in excitement. "Perhaps she's had some suitors there as well!"

"Oh that's a lovely idea!" Lasagna laughed. "Let's ask her after the party!"

Yozak had to grin at that. Bit by bit; little by little, Kagome was being accepted. Even though they were just servants, they made a part of the general population that was important to the Maou's rule and those were the citizens. If Doria and the others could find the good in the Maou's twin sister then it would only be a matter of time before society accepts her as well. He would just sit back and watch as he protected her, just as a bodyguard should do…

/*****/

"Welcome back, my lord."

Rolf rode through the gates of the von Grantz manor situated near the capital of Shin Makoku. Like the other noble families, it is a custom for nobility of every house to have a sort of residence near Blood Pledge Castle in order to be close to the king for extended businesses since it would have been tiring and impractical to travel from the castles on their lands to the royal capital for every single matter. It was located right on the borders of von Grantz land and the Maou's land as was most of the mansions the other nobles owned. He was greeted by a footman as soon as his mount stopped at the large front doors.

Upon his entrance all his soldiers fell in line and saluted him as he dismounted.

"Are the men I requested for here yet?" he asked gruffly.

"Your aide is waiting for you in your study and the other soldiers you've requested for from the main castle are already settling in at the barracks."

"Thank you. And please bring us something to eat; I've been in a meeting with the ten nobles all morning and I am exhausted."

"As you wish, my lord."

Rolf went straight up to his study and found his personal aide waiting for him with a large ledger in his hand. Without wasting time for banalities he went for his chair behind the large mahogany desk to face the other man wearily. "Well? Have you found the information I asked for already?"

"What I have found is limited; we have only had so much time to gather them. However I assure you that our men are doing their best to provide you with results." The plain looking aide answered him. "Also, I would like to say it is excellent to have you back. We feared the worst…"

Rolf almost winced at that. He must have made his uncle worry about him. He would have to make a point to go back and assure him he was fine. "Thank you. Tell me what you found."

"Yes, my lord." The aide answered before clearing his throat and getting started. "First off, our spies have confirmed the involvement of the Suberera king regarding the ritual for Sousho's revival; the messages sent by His Excellency Gwendal to our human allies had made them try to corner him but he is denying all allegations despite the eye witness accounts from Lord von Voltaire and you."

"Hn, figures." Rolf muttered as he leaned back into his chair much more comfortably. "Go on."

"Also we have found out that most of the humans gathered in the ritual you had witnessed were citizens of Zorashiya. It would appear that their discontent has been directed over to the Maou with the help of the king of Suberera's accusations about the Maou taking the Princess Greta hostage."

Rolf scowled at that. "Well that is just foolish. The princess' aide, Sir Maoritsu knows of her status here in Shin Makoku. Besides that he had even sent his son with us back here to Shin Makoku as an escort and as a form of reassurance that our alliance with them still held."

At this the aide gave him an expression of confusion that poured dread over Rolf's spine. "Sir Maoritsu can only take care of the Princess' personal possessions and property and the Suberera king must be doing something to keep him silent. Also, Sir Maoritsu only has five daughters… he never had a son."

Rolf stood up at that so quickly his chair fell back to the floor, a look of pure panic on his face freezing him for a second before he started to run out of the room, almost colliding with the maid who held his meal.

"My lord…?" his aide called out but Rolf refused to turn back.

The Maou was in danger; perhaps Lady Kagome as well! He had to warn them! He had to get to them before it was too late!

/*****/

The moment they came into the courtyard, the servants immediately scurried to meet the king and his entourage. Nikola and Elu were both waiting below the stairs that led to the large palace both wearing their best clothes and the child clinging onto his mother's skirt. Hube immediately dismounted and greeted his family with a hug and Gwendal felt a twang in his heart at the sight of his cousin so happy and content. But as he saw Yuuri and Kagome follow closely towards the small family he felt another emotion he had never felt before whenever he saw Hube with Nikola and Elu. If he had felt it before he could not remember it for he had no reason to feel something like it but if only Gwendal recognized the emotion he would have easily put a label on it.

The emotion known as envy.

"Yuuri-heika, thank you so much for coming!"

Gwendal watched as Yuuri gave a beaming Nikola a large grin then gave Elu a discreet wink as the 4 year old continued to cling to his mother's skirts with bright milk chocolate eyes staring up at him excitedly and felt his heart lighten at the sight, making him forget about the troubles hovering over the kingdom. "It's lovely to be here, Nikola, here I brought you a present, Elu!"

The little Mazoku's eyes widened in delight as the soukoku handed over a medium sized box wrapped in blue with a ribbon. Elu looked up at his mother and father who both smiled softly at him before giving their nods of permission to open up his present.

Hube smiled down at his wife as he held her in the security of his arms. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, we just arrived." She told him, staring into his eye adoringly.

"Arrived?" Yuuri asked the couple who turned to him warmly.

"Yes, Hube's mother insisted that she host Elu's birthday party this time," Nikola informed the king. "She says she's bored with the hunting lodge so we let her."

"I see," Yuuri nodded solemnly. "Well, I guess grandparents need to spoil their grandchildren sometimes."

Fairly quivering in anticipation, Elu ignored everyone else in the courtyard as he tore through the neatly wrapped package while the adults conversed. What he uncovered made him squeal in childish delight. "Mother, look!"

It was a small baseball glove, obviously custom made. Anybody who knew the boy had ascertained his love for the game ever since their king had played it with him last summer. The glove immediately went around his left hand before he rushed at Yuuri's knees in a hug. "Thank you, Yuuri-heika!"

Yuuri laughed at the sheer cuteness of the little boy and had him lifted up and spun him around in a twirl making the little boy laugh out loud in delight.

"Put him down, Yuuri!" Wolfram growled out at him as he came closer. "You're going to make him sick, wimp!"

"Elu won't get sick," Yuuri laughed back at the scowling blond. "He's tough, like his Yuuri-oniichan! Right, Elu?"

"Un!" The child nodded from high up as Yuuri tossed him in the air.

"Well then, I guess this is from me." Murata dished out a couple of wooden horses suspended from wooden sticks with strings. Perfect for a puppet show. The Great Sage grinned sheepishly. "I figured we should improve from always having to use my socks when we do puppet shows."

"So nice!" Elu laughed in delight as he reached for the toys and inspected them.

"Hello, Elu!" Greta greeted the little boy practically attached to Yuuri's hip. "Happy birthday! This is from me!"

Elu reached down to take a small baseball from Greta and cried out in delight. "Thank you, Princess Greta!"

The little girl fairly glowed with pleasure.

"And I, as representative of the Duchy of Zorashiya, also offer our heartfelt greetings to you, young lord Elu," Koritsu suddenly appeared behind the dark skinned princess and bowed charmingly with a smile. "Forgive me; had I known it was your birthday I would have brought you a present."

Elu blinked solemnly at him before smiling sweetly in response. "Thank you!"

Yuuri swung the little boy up in the air again, making him laugh and cry out in joy.

"Oh yeah, I want to introduce you to someone else, okay, Elu?" Yuuri told the young half Mazoku after a while.

The little boy cocked his head to the side as Yuuri cradled him in his arms securely.

"Yuuri, I don't think—"

But Yuuri ignored Wolfram and his eyes lit up at the sight of his twin sister and Shippou. "Hey, Kagome, come on, I want you to meet Elu-chan!"

Instead of leaning down and talking down to the child like most of the women he had seen with Elu, Gwendal watched Kagome execute a perfect curtsy and a warm smile. "It's good to finally meet you, Little Lord Elu. I am here to wish you a happy birthday."

Elu was looking up at her with something akin to wonder in his bright brown eyes. "You're 'most as pwetty as m' Mama…!"

This surprised a laugh from Kagome and all Gwendal could do was stare. "Why thank you that's a high compliment indeed."

"True," Conrad nodded sagely. "Especially since it's coming from Elu who thinks his mother hung the moon in the sky."

Everyone laughed at that while the child looked around wondering what was so funny.

"And this is my nephew, Shippou." Yuuri declared proudly.

"Hi!" Shippou greeted cheerfully as he clung to his own mother's skirt.

Elu flushed red but it was as though his eyes were stuck on the young woman's form. Gwendal thought it was adorable.

"Elu?" the child blinked at his mother's soft reprimand. "Where are your manners?"

"Ah!" the milk chocolate haired half Mazoku straigtened and climbed down from Yuuri's arms then bowed to Kagome and Yuuri stiffly. "Welcome to the Brischella palace, Lady Kagome, Yuuri-heika!"

Kagome nodded graciously, ignoring any slights in the child's posture, something that would have brought an offended comment from any other noblewoman who was taught how to raise a child how to popely act in society since the day they could walk. Gwendal then raised his brows when Kagome started taking something out of her pocket. "Happy birthday, I hope you don't mind an extra guest in such short notice."

"Oh no, we would welcome you as our guest!" Nikola looked at her starry eyed.

"Pplease accept my humble gift to you, Little Lord Elu."

She pulled out a simple white pouch from a pocket in her gown and turned it over. It produced a diamond shaped, amber colored maseki suspended on a fine string of silver. It was about the same size as the one Yuuri wore around his neck. Everyone gathered around it curiously and those close enough noticed the faint glow of pink from deep within the stone.

Hube broke the silence in an awed voice. "My lady, you didn't have to go to such trouble…"

"Nonsense, it's my pleasure." Kagome smiled up at the one eyed spy. "It's the least I could do after everything you've done for me."

"I think you have it the other way around…" Hube tried to protest.

Elu's eyes were glistening with wonder as he palmed the pendant. "So pretty…!"

"I've never seen a maseki with that color before," Gunter exclaimed, studying the stone with academic curiosity. "How is this even possible?"

"Remember when I told you about experimenting on the maseki and my powers to gauge just how far I can go here without harming anyone?" Kagome turned to the lilac haired Mazoku. "Well I asked Rolf if I could take a look at the cursed maseki their ambushers left behind to experiment on since they're pretty much useless to see if I could purify them again. I ended up destroying most of them but I found out that if I put a certain amount of life force in them they become a catalyst."

"Catalyst?"

"It means anyone wearing it would be immune to Mama's holy powers and a majority of other magic that is supported by holy energy!" Shippou put in proudly, puffing his chest out and showing he had a string of glistening wooden beads hanging around his neck. "And she says it can also bring the wearer luck! She made me these beads that do the same thing!"

"It's the same thing we do in Kaede's village but we use wood there instead of precious stones for charms. Miroku taught me how to do it." Kagome laughed at their stupefied expressions. "I would have strung the maseki on beads too but the wood I used on Shippou's necklace can't be found in this world. I'll try my best to see if I can make another one when I return back to earth, though."

Yuuri visibly stiffened at her declaration.

"No wonder you look so worn out," Ken commented worriedly at her. "That couldn't have been easy especially since you don't know how much or how little your powers can affect anything around in this world."

"I have a pretty good idea now," Kagome reassured him. "Rolf had his men delivered a cartload of tainted maseki. After demolishing a good 95% of it I think I finally have it right down pat!"

"You WHAT?" Yuuri explained, furious that he never even noticed. "You should have been _resting_!"

"I'm _fine_, Yuu-chan, stop fussing." she told him in annoyance but Gwendal noted how she reached out to squeeze his hand affectionately. "Besides, not finding out sooner would only tire me more and it would be dangerous. My powers needed an outlet and this was the perfect way."

But Yuuri never lost the worried look on his face and so did Ken. Gwendal wondered just how dangerous this would be. Would she prove to be even more destructive than when she was at Ichri? If so then they really should fear her. But then the power she released back then was quite controlled, there was never a need to waste it. In fact, he knew for a fact that she had collapsed back then due to exhaustion more than anything else. Has she not fully recovered yet because of this? He felt guilty for avoiding her since they came back now and checking on her well being.

"Thank you so very much, Lady Kagome!" everyone turned to see a teary eyed Nikola curtsying respectfully to Kagome accompanied by Hube's bow. "We have… received so many gifts for Elu before but never… _never_ were we given something that will help us protect our son. We will forever be grateful."

"Oh please!" Kagome flushed in embarrassment. "I should thank _you_—"

"Hube has told me so much about you since he came back from your mission in the human lands through pigeon mail," Nikola cut her off and deftly slid he arm into Kagome's leading her inside the palace as though they were the best of friends. "Come in, we're holding the party at the palace gardens. My mother in law says she's planning something a little bit more informal for the children later."

Hube looked defeated and sighed. "Knowing her she would observe all the traditional banalities first especially since she knoes that the Maou's coming."

"Oh that sounds wonderful…!"

As the women faded inside, Hube turned sheepishly towards the Maou and his cousin. "I'm sorry about that; Nikola has been wanting to meet her since I told her about Her Ladyship in my letters."

"Well I'm actually glad," Yuuri grinned back at the dark haired Mazoku. "If anything I'll be at ease knowing Kagome has at least _one_ person looking out for her that isn't a guy. She absolutely hates it whenever Shouri and I try to look out for her. Bit too independent that one."

"That is actually a very attractive trait for a woman in my opinion." Gwendal let out before he could stop himself and he proceeded to follow the women inside with his usual arrogant stride even though he wanted more than anything to plant his face into the hard tiled floor in mortification.

He could practically _feel_ the odd looks he was receiving from the Maou, Gunter, his brothers and cousin but he ignored them all. What in the world was he _thinking_ when he said that? Thank Shinou Kagome wasn't there to hear such foolish words!

Inwardly, deep down, though, he wondered just what she would say if she heard them. Would she blush brightly? Or would she be offended? He was torn between wanting to know and killing himself to avoid finding out. As an independent woman she might only see him as a nuisance and a moron just like Annissina said he was…

The inside of the Brischella palace was the same as he had remembered during his childhood whenever he came to visit and he had Hube come tagging along as they played Kotsuhizoku hunting or fishing in the deeper shallows of the river just beyond the formal gardens of this estate. Gwendal allowed just the barest hint of a smile move his usually stern lips as he allowed himself to feel nostalgic… until he stepped outside the house and onto the formal gardens and found out just what kind of surprise his aunt had for them that is.

"Ah, Gwendal! Good you're here, where is His Majesty?" his aunt, Lady Edda Adelys von Voltaire Brischella greeted him warmly from the hug she was bestowing on a rather stiff and slightly panicked looking Nikola who clearly had no idea what her mother in law had in mind when she said she was preparing the party. Lady Edda's Prussia blue eyes, just a touch lighter than Gwendal's own, twinkled and her dark gray hair that mirrored his and Hube's marked her as his father's sister shone merrily in the sun. "I thought Hube mentioned the Maou was joining us today."

Gwendal had always been fond of his Aunt Edda. Compared to his other relatives who were truly overbearing and annoying she was a truly caring woman whom his father loved very much till he died in one of the campaigns against the humans. However she could be very much of a push over, even more so than Yuuri at times. The presence of what must be all the single noblewomen from the age of 200 and below staring expectantly at the open door behind him like a bunch of hungry, over painted hyenas was a testament to that.

"I'm sorry, Gwen," he could barely hear his uncle, Baron Hubert Johann Brischella mutter beside him apologetically but he barely registered what the older Mazoku was saying. "I tried but you know how these witches operate. I tried to send you a warning but the mail kept disappearing."

Gwendal was about to reply when he heard a faint, panicked squeak behind him. If he had not recognized it for who it was then the sudden squealing of the female population within the garden would have identified the newcomer for him. His tall, fair haired, amber eyed uncle winced at him in sympathy.

"KYYAAAAHHHH! _It's His Majesty_!"

"Oh please dance with me, Your Majesty!"

"No, he's dancing with _me_!"

"Get away!"

"BACK OFF!"

Gwendal could instantly feel a migraine coming on even as he glanced at Yuuri's pale and panicked face at the door. It didn't help that Wolfam looked furious or that Conrart was sweating bullets while smiling a strained smile as he fingered the hilt of his sword. Even Shippou and Elu looked like they were scared out of their minds and Gunter looked frozen. Clever as always, the Mazoku lord found no hint of Yozak but Hube was there and he did _not_ look happy. This was the nightmare of all bachelors, after all.

"Eh?" his aunt was now in front of him, pouting like a small child. "Hube, darling, what's wrong? Why are you looking like that? Are you not happy to see your own mother?"

"It's not that, Mother," Hube could barely keep his teeth from gritting. "I was under the impression that this was going to be a _private_ party."

"Nonsense," Lady Edda exclaimed as she softly glared at her son. "It is always good to share our joy with others and since these young ladies have all expressed their interest in joining in the festivities and bring all these presents for Elu then I see nothing wrong with it at all!"

Gwendal noted the pile of gifts gathered at the table. All of them were probably just useless bric a brac that would amount to nothing in the long run. He had to admit the arrangement was impeccable, though. Long tables were set and groaning underneath a veritable feast side by side the fragrant rose bushes of every color and size. The center was cleared and tiled and marked by the large tent made of silk that protected them from the harsher glare of the sun and there were seats for everyone. Beyond that were groves of fruit trees he had remembered climbing when he was young and if he concentrated enough, he thought he could hear the steady murmur of the river he missed so much just beyond them. Things were polite and tasteful but were informal enough to invite everyone to take their hair down and enjoy themselves with the children.

"Although I admit I was worried at first since this is meant to be a party for our dear Elu but they all brought their nieces and nephews to celebrate with us and play with him. Isn't it wonderful? Oh, Your Majesty! Come, come, so we can begin!"

"Wait—" Wolfram began to growl but was easily flipped aside by his small but sturdy aunt.

"Eh? Um… Help me…!" Yuuri squeaked as he was basically dragged into the middle of the rabid crowd just in the center of the dance floor. A string quartet sat at the ready beyond the edges of a grotto nearby ready to strike out any tune the Maou demanded of them.

It was clear just what his aunt was planning to do.

"This is not looking too good, Gwendal," he heard Conrart murmur beside him. Both he and Gunter were shooting anxious looks at Wolfram who was practically foaming at the bit. The only thing keeping him from stomping towards Yuuri and dragging him away from the women was the grip Hube and his Uncle Hubert had on him. "We won't be able to hold back Wolfram for long."

"My…" he heard Koritsu mutter somewhere behind him. "I never knew Mazoku noblewomen could be so… vigorous."

Gwendal suppressed his desire to groan. This was a disaster.

"What's going on…?" Both men looked at the female soukoku who was now eyeing Wolfram more than a little worriedly. "Wolfram looks like he's going to have the mother of all aneurysms."

Gwendal scowled but his tension eased down when Kirara jumped onto his shoulder from Shippou's head and rubbed against his cheek comfortingly. He rubbed the demon cat gently on the head. "We have a problem."

"Ever since he turned sixteen and Wolfram signed off his engagement to His Majesty he had become an open target," Conrart started to explain in his calmest voice. "These… ladies are all of marriageable age."

"It would be good if it were just that," Gunter added grimly. "But most of these women belong to families who have hidden agendas to the throne. If His Majesty is cornered into a compromising situation by any one of them their families would try to challenge the Maou's reputation and sense of morality and force a marriage."

"…Oh." Kagome blinked in dawning realization. "Oh crap."

"We need to distract them away from him before he's forced into dancing with anyone," Murata joined in, glasses flashing and face almost humorously serious as he shuddered at the word 'marriage'. "It's the least I can do for my best friend!"

"Why, what happens if he does that?" Kagome blinked at them, sweat dropping at how pale and serious these battle hardened men were at the moment. It was as though they would rather face off against a whole country's army rather than be in Yuuri's situation right at that moment.

Little did she know how right she was.

"Whoever gets to dance with him first," Hube informed her. "Gets to spend the rest of the day with him."

"It sounds like a wedding dance." She commented.

"It's tradition," Gwendal sighed, still petting Kirara who seemed to sense his distress as she purred. "And stopping it now would offend the hostess. After that the guests could basically do what they want."

"I'm really sorry," Nikola said, worried and flustered, eyeing the thick crowd around a panicking Yuuri nervously. "I really didn't expect her to go this far…"

"We need to make him dance with someone who's not going to be a threat to him!" Wolfram growled as he tried to shake off the hands holding him back. "What the _hell_ do they think they're doing to him?"

Gwendal tried to get his brain to work but he can think of nothing short of marching right in there and throw the ladies away from the king. He never was good at dealing with women. What a nuisance. If only his mother did not decide she wanted to travel this week and Annissina was still too busy with the harvest to come…

Suddenly he felt a gentle touch on his arm and he opened his Prussia blue eyes to look into reassuring ebony ones. For a moment his world stopped as he drowned in her eyes and her scent. It had been so long since he had been this close to her… Shinou how he missed it…

"I have an idea," she leaned into him and whispered into his ear. Gwendal barely repressed the urge to shudder as he fought not to pull her back to him as she stepped away and crouched in front of the children. "Will you guys help me out?"

Shippou grinned up at her. "Of course, Mama! What do you have in mind?"

She gathered Greta and Elu to her along with Shippou and whispered something in their ears. Afterwards they parted and all the children nodded to her with wide mischievous grins on their faces.

"No problem, Aunt Kagome!" Greta saluted her like a soldier and at that; the three disappeared into the crowd.

She then turned to him and Gwendal could practically read the mischief in her eyes. "Get ready, you guys." She passed Wolfram who was now calmer and was watching her suspiciously but she brushed his hand lightly and gave him a comforting whisper. "It will be alright."

"Kagome, what—"

But Kagome merely winked at the Great Sage mischievously and all the men could do was watch her, gaping like fools as she made towards the edges of the crowd right at the string quartet. Gwendal and the others watched her speak to the musicians who were listening attentively to her as she clapped out what seemed to be the cadence to a tune. Afterwards the musicians grinned and nodded to her and got ready.

And then Kagome proceeded to straighten into her grandest posture, assuming the role of a grand and gracious lady, transforming before their awed eyes from the innocent bystander into a noble lady fit to be a queen.

And then she raised her voice.

"Your Majesty, King Shibuya Yuuri, Harujuku Fuuri, 27th ruler of Shin Makoku and all it's lands!"

The call, as she had expected, gained the king's full attention and had all the other ladies trying to grab Yuuri's attention glare at her but Gwendal felt pride that she remained unaffected.

"Is she going to do what I think she's going to do?" Gwendal heard Gunter ask but he couldn't look away from Kagome's face. He wanted to crawl inside her head to find out what she was thinking.

Just seeing her there lit the king's face up in a way that they have only witnessed whenever he looked at Conrart. The kind of relieved glow that announced his dependence on that certain individual. And its full force was now directed at Kagome.

Kagome responded by giving him a warm smile and executing a graceful curtsy. "May I have this dance?"

The grin on Yuuri's face could have split his face in two and the women surrounding him were forced to make way for him as he approached his sister. It was clear that he had decided and no one there was bold enough to get in the way lest they displease their hostess.

As soon as he Maou was a foot apart from Kagome he bowed to her politely in a courtly gestured, pounded into him by years of disciplining from Gunter during etiquette lessons before he responded. "I would be delighted."

Gwendal and the others, now recognizing their cues stepped forward and began herding the still grumbling women to the sidelines, careful to keep an eye on Wolfram who was practically snarling at the ladies. They left Koritsu near the door, frozen. As they did so he noted that Kagome had led the Maou in the center of the tent in view of everyone else and he was near enough to hear their whispered conversation. He could see Conrart also actively listening to them even as he smiled politely at the ladies he was keeping away.

"—gome, you know I'm not good with this!"

"Do you still have that problem? It's been _years_, Yuu-chan!"

"Look, the last time I danced publicly was with Saralegui! He's a guy, Kagome, a _guy_!"

"I thought you said you were dressed as a girl back then?"

"My _point_ is that I try to avoid dancing in public because I suck in it and you know it!"

"That was back in elementary school, you can't be as bad as that!"

"You wanna bet?"

Sigh. "Alright, how about this," she surprised the king by gently cupping both sides of his face with her hands and smiling up at him. "Close your eyes. We'll do it just the way we did it back then, alright?"

"But what if—"

"You won't hurt me, Yuuri…" she told him, smiling warmly as she pressed her forehead against his bent one. "After all… you are the other half of me…"

Gwendal watched with growing envy as Yuuri swallowed hard before nodding and slowly, but surely, placing his hand at the small of her back and meeting her other hand in the air. She then defied convention and instead of placing her hand proprietarily over Yuuri's shoulder she held him close to her by wrapping it under his arm and rested it behind his shoulder as though she were holding him to her protectively. And then… He closed his eyes.

Gwendal was sure Gunter's and Wolfram's eyeballs were going to fall out.

Kagome then raised her head slightly and nodded to the band that then started playing.

**(Insert song: Once upon a December from Disney's Anastasia OST)**

It was a waltz.

They started off a little hesitantly at first, the Maou seemingly afraid of stepping on his twin's toes. But Kagome merely rested her head securely against Yuuri's shoulder and was humming softly with the song. Little by little Yuuri seemed empowered by the sheer trust she was putting in him until he had her sweeping across the floor in ever widening circles growing more and more confident as the music gained volume. When they passed him Gwendal caught the sound of… singing! Kagome was singing softly in time of the music!

And Yuuri was following the notes of her voice like it was a command. With his eyes closed.

It wasn't even a love song; it was more like lullaby as he followed the words he caught. Their embrace, although closer and more intimate that what society would usually allow spoke not of a lover's passion but the essence of two souls who had complete and absolute trust in each other. It touched Gwendal more than any love song he had ever heard. Unbeknownst to him Kirara watched him intently from slitted, amber eyes and, if her mouth allowed it, she would have grinned at the mesmerized Mazoku lord.

Not even the spurned, grumbling ladies behind him could find fault in the movements of the unusual song. He had no doubt they would have snickered and laughed long and hard had Yuuri and Kagome committed even a single misstep in the dance; but they had nothing to complain about. The couple was faultless.

And as the song slowly ended she spun gently out of his arms. He had no doubt it was a pre planned signal to the band to slowly end the song as she ended the dance with a graceful curtsy a couple of feet from the Maou who was slowly opening his eyes at the loss of her warmth, his arm still reaching out to her even as the last notes faded.

When she straightened Kagome sought Yuuri's slowly clearing eyes with her teasing ones and a large smile on her face. For those few moments the entire garden was silent.

Until pandemonium broke out.

"LEEEETTT'S GOOOO!"

Gwendal blinked in surprise at the sound of Shippou's battle cry and then, faster than he could blink, all the children were suddenly running across the floor towards the river. The scattered screeching and yelping from the women were punctuated by children's giggles and then, later on, there was the splashing of water and more than half of the women chased after them in worry. When the craziness ceased, his eyes went back to Kagome to see if she was alright but all he saw was the Maou, standing there blinking in disbelief.

He and the others approached the king before the other women tried to worm their way towards him again and harass him but Gwendal's eyes kept searching around for Kagome.

"Yuuri," Conrart asked as soon as he was close enough to the king. "Are you alright?"

"I can't believe she did it again…" Yuuri muttered up to his godfather. "She made me dance again…!"

Conrart smiled down at him warmly. "So she was that one dance you had in elementary you told me about?"

Yuuri scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "No one would pair up with me since I kept stepping on their toes."

Murata laughed. "Oh so that was true? I thought she was joking when she told me that story!"

"Shut up, you."

"I have to say her plan was quite brilliant, though," Gunter nodded pleasantly. "Catching them all by surprise and then using the children to make sure they were distracted enough to leave you alone and be secured again. Don't you agree, Wolfram?"

Wolfram grumbled, blushing but his emerald eyes did not glisten with the usual distrust at the mention of the female soukoku.

"Where is she, though?" Koritsu asked looking around in alarm. "And the Princess Greta? Where is she?"

"Mama! That's not fair!"

At the sound of Shippou's shouting, the group rushed towards the river and the sight they found there had them all relaxing.

There were the children, about a dozen of them all in all with Shippou and Greta and, surprisingly Rinji splashing at each other with the water of the shallow river. Mothers and aunts kept to the far banks for fear of getting their expensive selves wet. In the middle of the chaos at the center of the stream though was a laughing Kagome. Her hair unbound glistening like an onyx veil under the sun and the hem of her gown raised up to her knees as she danced away gracefully from the splashing the children were aiming at her. The other ladies were sneering at her immaturity but she didn't seem to care. And once again Gwendal felt drawn to her by that smile. And that laughter that rang deep and resonating into the strings of his heart…

"I have to admit this is quite shocking," everyone turned to see Lord Delchias von Wincott approaching them, shooting Rinji a look that spoke of fondness and exasperation all at the same time. "But I have to say that was quite brilliant."

"Oh, Lord von Wincott!" Yuuri greeted him. "You were invited too?"

"Rinji was invited and his mother was… indisposed so I agreed to take him here as soon as I was free of the conference. By the way, you danced splendidly earlier, Your Majesty. You should dance in public more often."

"Only if Kagome's my dance partner." Yuuri laughed sheepishly.

"She saved you there, big time." Delchias raised his brows at him knowingly.

Yuuri sighed. "Tell me about it."

_SPLASH_!

Yuuri suddenly found himself being used as a shield by an ever attentive Murata and he blinked as he looked down at himself and found his clothes wet. He then turned towards the river and saw Kagome laughing as though her sides were about to be ripped out with Shippou and Greta beside her.

"Yuuri's a loser and so is Ken-chan; nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah~!" she sang and stuck her tongue out at them.

The children, of course, copied her. "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah~!"

"Oh am I now…?" Yuuri twitched as he threw his jacket off and rolled his sleeves up his elbows. "We'll see about _that_!"

Yuuri jumped into the water using both hands to splash water at his sister while Kagome tried to dodge and kick water into his face at the same time.

"Ack!" Kagome screeched at a particularly suspicious looking wave of water that drenched her from the waist down. "_Yuuri_! No powers!"

But she was still laughing and Yuuri was not letting up. "I did no such thing!"

"Gyaah! Cheater!"

"It's been a while since I heard her laugh like that." Murata muttered that got Gwendal's immediate attention.

All this time he thought she was merely desolate because of the circumstances of her arrival into this world. Was it because of that Inuyasha? Lately, that name seemed to inspire a deep hate within the Mazoku lord.

"Just so you know, Gwendal, I believe it when you said that we can trust her," Delchias' expression suddenly became solemn and Gwendal turned to the other Mazoku lord. "The only problem is; I am merely one of few. Please, do something before they try to find a way to hurt her from the inside. Until she garners the trust of the entire council, she is in danger here."

That made Gwendal's fist clench. He would never allow them to hurt her.

"Would it not be better to have His Majesty send her back to Earth?"

Gwendal took a deep breath to calm himself before he answered in his usual cool tone. "Do you think we have not tried?"

The white haired lord reluctantly nodded. "I understand how His Majesty feels. If she were Julia I would…"

No more words needed be spoken. All of them were wounded by the loss of Suzanna Julia. Gwendal took a concerned glance at his younger brother but found no impact on Conrad's face at the mention of the deceased lady's name. He was relieved. "We will speak of this further after the issue with Gautier, Willaperht and Reynaud has been resolved. Until then the issue of Her Ladyship shall be shelved until we can find a better solution."

Delchias raised his brows at the dark haired Mazoku lord in surprise. "Gwendal, are you hedging?"

"No," Gwendal scowled, ignoring the equally surprised looks from Gunter and his brothers. "I am merely delaying the inevitable in favor of more serious matters."

They were different words but had the same meaning; for Gwendal knew it himself as truth. He, the all powerful Lord of the von Voltaire family was retreating from a subject.

For deep in his heart he cannot discuss the option of Kagome ever leaving his sight…


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: **Sorry if it's shorter than normal but at least I have it uploaded sooner!

Michelle: Thank you so much, you are so sweet! ^_^ Hopefully you guys won't wait for a year before I upload.

Enjoy! ^_^v

**Chapter 18**

"Ohhh… How did you get to have a tail?"

Wolfram watched from a distant pillar, far enough to escape notice but near enough to get a whiff of the conversation floating around the group he was stalking, amused at how Rinji kept a hold of Shippou's tail despite the latte's best efforts to keep it from the other children surrounding him now that the river fight was over.

"Hey, that's _my_ tail!" Shippou cried out, pulling the appendage away from the small boy's hands and held it protectively against his chest effectively distracting the adults. "It's sensitive, you know?"

"Really?" another young boy no older than Greta came forward to inspect it from beside Elu with equally wide eyed curiosity. "Did Lord Gwendal make it for you?"

"Hey, I want one too!" Another girl, blond, hopped over to them, surrounding Shippou.

"No," Shippou tried to explain. "Gwendal did not make it for me. Hey, hands off!"

"Stop that, Rinji!" Greta frowned with her hands on her hips. "You're hurting my cousin!"

"I didn't know you had a cousin, Greta!" another boy in fine clothes said.

Greta grinned at all of them smugly. "Well he's Lady Kagome's son and Lady Kagome is Father's sister so that makes him my cousin, doesn't he?"

"But why does he look like an animal?" Rinji asked, trying to pinch some of the hair from Shippou's cheek.

"That's because he was born that way," Kagome smiled down at the children as she squatted so she was eye level with them all. She was standing nearby with Yuuri as they spoke with the children. One would notice how the twins would not part from each other, Yuuri sticking near his sister as though using her as a shield from the desirous gazes the Mazoku women were throwing their way. "From when we came from, some demons look a bit like animals."

"Really?" one boy asked, coming closer to her.

"Like birds?"

"And cats?"

None of the children noted how she used the word 'when' instead of 'where'.

Kagome nodded at her growing young audience. "And dogs too; Shippou here is a fox."

All the children turned wide eyed back at the now proud kitsune who had his chest inflated. Suddenly, from outside the circle, Elu had managed to steal Shippou's tail from Rinji's clutches.

"You're hurting Shippou-aniue!" the little boy complained, glaring at Rinji a bit.

Wolfram had to smirk at the way the von Wincott heir pouted.

"Well," Wolfram heard Kagome mutter to Yuuri. "He's fast."

"I know right? _And_ he's got excellent hearing too," Yuuri whispered back. "Hube tells me he's even got a sensitive nose. It's the reason why they're holding the party out in the open garden so Elu wouldn't have to faint from the mixture of perfumes from the guests."

"You're _kidding_ me!"

"Nope. Why?"

"Those are the exact same traits the demons from Sengoku Jidai have!"

"No. Way." Yuuri gaped in disbelief.

Even Wolfram had his blond bows raised at that bit of information. So did that mean that there would come a day when half Mazoku people would look like animals? Nonsense.

"You know, Wolfram," Gunter suddenly spoke from right beside him making the blond jump a bit. He was watching a laughing and talking Yuuri and Kagome so intensely that he lost touch of his surroundings and he wanted to kick himself for shaming his background as a soldier. "There's a saying back on Earth that if you scowl too much it will stay that way. And I think they have some truth in it. I mean look at Gwendal for example."

Somewhere in the open garden where Elu's birthday was being celebrated, Gwendal sneezed in the middle of a conversation with Lord von Wincott and his uncle Lord Hubert. After apologizing for his lack of manners the Mazoku lord then started glaring around him as though trying to see if someone magically caused it.

Wolfram gave Gunter a glare. "I don't trust her."

Gunter had to sigh at the familiar, stubborn tone in the von Bielfeld prince's voice as he spoke. "Really now, Wolfram, can't you let this rest? If you continue with this train of thought you will make His Majesty sad."

"That wimp becomes sad at the drop of a hat and it's my job as his fiancé to protect him from that!" Wolfram rebutted.

Gunter sighed a bit more heavily this time. "His Majesty swears Lady Kagome will not hurt him and I believe him. Besides that, I believe you have rejected his suit years ago and he has never renewed his vows to you so I cannot understand why you are still claiming that you are his fiancé."

Wolfram glared angrily at the lilac haired older Mazoku lord. "Yuuri is _my_ fiancé!"

"And she is his sister; can't you see the difference?"

"She could kill him with a touch!"

"If she wanted to do that then she would have done it long ago; why wait when he's surrounded by people who would obviously do anything to keep him safe?"

Wolfram pouted at that and glared after the lady in question again who just laughed at something Elu just said. It was a while before he spoke again. "I don't understand why you're defending her. Usually you are a lot more paranoid Yuuri's safety than I am."

Gunter smiled at him softly and made a lot of the female servants passing by swoon as he did so. "Do you remember the first day His Majesty brought the Lady Kagome to the castle? He was so intense back then it was thrilling."

Wolfram glared fiercely at the blush spreading across the older Mazoku's cheeks. If it weren't for the fact that he really wanted to hear the wiser Mazoku's answer he would have fried him within an inch of his life. Granted he would not have been very successful (Gunter was, after all, a very talented maryouko user) but still… it would be worth trying. "Yeah…?"

Gunter's grin grew wider and his eyes became mistier as he looked ahead of him and into the past. "I was assigned to dress her properly, remember? She was giving me a hard time. She really didn't want to do His Majesty any favors back then seeing as how he was determined to keep her a prisoner in the castle and completely ignore her wishes for her own safety. She wouldn't even let me or the servants near her and I was so desperate I had to call Gwendal in.

"He talked to her about how the people needed His Majesty and I saw, Wolfram, at that point she was so mad at His Majesty she would have done anything to defy him; but when she found out from Gwendal how the people will suffer at such a minor detail in the king's life she got up, dressed herself and took charge." Gunter chuckled, remembering how Yuuri calmed down at a single touch from Kagome. "She cares Wolfram. Despite the fact that she is human that has the ability to destroy us she cares enough to see to our comfort and peace. I have watched her closely, Wolfram, she makes it clear that she means us no harm. For that she has my respect."

Wolfram crossed his arms over his chest although the stubborn look on his face softened a bit as he remembered how Kagome rescued Yuuri from the gold digging whores from earlier. He couldn't help but relent just a tiny bit after that. "She is still acting suspicious. Look, even Conrad and Aniue are watching her! I tell you there is just something very wrong about her and if she hurts Yuuri because of it I'll make sure she'll wish she had never been born."

"I have complete faith in the Lady Kagome," Gunter stated confidently. "Conrad does not know her at all so I understand his wariness; as for Gwendal, well… I think he is more protective of her than wary; he may be watching her to make sure no one harms her. He trusts her and you know that he does not trust for a reason. But His Majesty cares about her and is fond of her. He would do anything for his sister!"

"That's what I'm afraid of." Wolfram muttered before narrowing his eyes as the still wet Yuuri and Kagome were pulled away by Elu and the children off to the woods to play Hiding Shinou. Playing it was hardly a problem what with the immense amount of Kotsuhizoku standing sentinel over the celebrations by crouching on the palace roof and the trees around it as though celebrating Elu's birthday with them. Elu had always been dear to the Kohi somehow. Wolfram already noted Conrad following them discreetly so he prepared to do so as well. "I better go join them; there's no telling what kind of trouble that wimp could get himself into if I left him alone."

"Just give her a chance, Wolfram," Gunter called out to him quietly as he stepped away. "It's not her fault she's here in the first place."

Wolfram tried to shake off Gunter's words but they were like irritating puppies latching onto his ankles as he followed the voices of laughing children into the grove of trees set apart from the atmosphere of the garden where the guests partook of the feast the kitchens had prepared. So far everyone was enjoying themselves and Sangria and their maids proved to be highly useful as they handed out more drinks and finger foods for the guests. He noted his older brother's eyes on him so he nodded in silent communication that he was off to guard Yuuri with Conrart before Gwendal went back to talking about politics with Lord von Wincott and Uncle Hubert. Nikola was at another part of the garden smiling nervously as Hube gave Aunt Edda a proper dressing down to which the older woman looked at least a bit wry about.

"Here I come!"

A chorus of yesses and not yets echoed in the forest at Kagome's question. When she saw him, Kagome immediately pointed towards the spot of a large tree with its roots so big it created little niches off the ground and formed into small caves. Wolfram followed and found Yuuri in one of the little caves. Wolfram was about to speak but the Maou immediately shushed him with a finger over his lips.

Rolling his eyes at the childishness of it all, Wolfram decided to get into the same hiding spot beside his fiancé.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Yuuri hissed at him. "This is _my_ hiding spot!"

The blond von Bielfeld prince scowled at him. Didn't he know Kagome already _knew_ where he was so it was useless to hide? He wondered how Kagome knew where Yuuri was, though. "Shut up. And where's Greta and Elu?"

"Elu said something about showing Greta a great hiding spot he has around here."

"And he didn't take you with them?"

"I _know_!" Yuuri went all puppy eyed on him. "It's unfair, right? To keep such secrets from her own father!"

"Get a grip, it's only Hiding Shinou."

"Will you two shut up?" someone hissed from above them. Both young men looked up to see Shippou up on one of the highest branches of the same tree they were in. "She's coming!"

A low chuckle from somewhere around the tree alerted them to Conrart's unseen but obvious presence. All of them then proceeded to wait for either Kagome to be distracted and get a chance with the Kotsuhizoku's head and sing the Shinou song.

/*****/

Yozak was basically enjoying himself, lounging in one of the towers around the castle with a clear view of large tent and everyone in it. He had noted some time ago that Kagome had already gone into the forest and the only thing that stopped him was the fact that he saw Conrad follow them there. With his former captain in charge he was confident nothing could go wrong.

The orange haired spy chuckled at the memory of his Maou being accosted by the large group of females earlier and thanked Shinou he had the foresight to get out of sight before those women saw him. Not that a refined Mazoku noblewoman would bother with him, though, he knew in just how much regard they held for a mere half Mazoku military officer with no title to his name or any lands of his own. He had never envied the Maou anything, especially this.

He silently commended Kagome for her quick thinking. Remembering Gwendal's panicked face almost made him limp with laughter earlier although he could sympathize with his commanding officer. And watching her laugh and play with the children made his heart go all warm and fuzzy. Who would have known he— jaded man that he was already— would be able to feel such happiness over the happiness of one specific person? He also privately wondered if this was how Conrad felt towards the king.

He had just leaned against the tower railing to relax, watching the other guests and lost in his own musings when a pigeon carrying a letter around its neck landed beside him. Brows climbing into his hairline, Yozak immediately took the letter from the bird wondering if it was a message from the Brischella family. However when he saw the von Grantz seal on the letter he immediately scanned it before going pale and then going into motion.

Jumping down to the ground, he half ran, half walked towards the gathering, intent on information Gwendal about the situation when he met the Murata along the way.

"Hey, Yozak," Ken called out, strolling a little bit away from the rest of the guests with a couple of ladies in each arm. "Finally joining in on the party? Good for you! Why don't I take over there to get you some food? If you ladies will excuse me?"

Despite their protests, Murata began to walk beside Yozak as they moved closer to the tent and towards Gwendal without looking like they were hurrying.

As soon as they were out of earshot from the girls, Yozak spoke. "Your Highness."

"What's wrong?" Murata asked, quietly, his glasses glinting under the near setting sun as he kept pace with the spy.

"A letter from Lord von Grantz," Yozak answered automatically. "It's about our guest."

Murata frowned. "…I see. Then search for him and apprehend him for questioning as quietly as possible without raising a panic."

"I got it, Your Highness."

Both of them went into the party and scanned the jubilant crowd for the dark skinned form of the man but found nothing. Little by little a pool of dread started forming in the pit of the Great Sage's stomach.

"I can't find him anywhere." Yozak reported back to him after a few minutes.

"Where is Yuuri?" Ken suddenly asked, now heading over to where Gwendal, Lord Hubert, Hube, Lord Delchias and Gunter were all assembled and talking.

"He's in the woods with jouchan and the children," Yozak replied quietly. "Conrad and Wolfram are with them."

"That's good," Murata muttered with a little bit of relief in his tone. However he still couldn't get rid of the tight coil of anxiety strangling his insides. "Tell the Kohi to watch out search for our guest. Then have them report to us as soon as he's spotted. Then find Yuuri and the children and bring them back here. Don't tell him what's going on yet, we don't need him panicking and scaring the children."

"Yes, Your Highness." Yozak nodded, surrendering the letter to the soukoku Great Sage and taking off towards a secluded part of the garden away from the guests to call the Kohi.

Ken, in the meantime, went straight towards Gwendal and, although he knew it was rude, cut in right in the middle of a heated debate about what to do with Gautier's, Willaperht's and Reynaud's cases. "Lord von Voltaire."

Surprised, the Mazoku lord and his company looked up to fix intense stone blue eyes on the soukoku ruler. "Is there a problem, Your Highness?"

"Yes," the seriousness on the young man's face immediately had Gwendal's hackles rising even before the Daikenja continued. "We have a problem."

/*****/

Elu led Greta into a deeper part of the forest until they couldn't hear Kagome calling out anymore. Neither child minded. The important thing is that they were going to win no matter what.

"It's over here, Princess Greta!" Elu whispered to her urgently, removing a heavy curtain made of vines hanging from a low grown branch of a very stout tree.

Greta gasped when she saw a wide glade filled with every kind of flower she could think of on the other side of it. The small space was sandwiched between the large tree and the rock face of a mountain where other flowers hung. It looked like it could come from a picture book. "Wow, Elu! This is beautiful!"

"Father and I found it the last time we visited Gramma and Grampa," Elu puffed out his chest proudly. "We're the only ones who know about it although I think he took Mama here too!"

"They'll never find us here!" Greta praised the little boy although she thought being completely out of range of the other players was totally against the rules of Hiding Shinou.

"Yup!"

"Good job, Elu!"

Elu blushed before he dove into a bed full of clovers and rolled in it while Greta knelt beside a cluster of large violet flowers beside the tree.

"So here's the plan," Greta told Elu who hung on every word she said from then on. "We hide here for a bit while Aunt Kagome looks for the others and after a while we sneak behind he back and step on the Kohi head together, okay, Elu?"

"Okay, Princess Greta." Elu nodded obediently, fierce determination reflected in his baby brown eyes.

Greta smiled at him fondly and began gathering flowers for a necklace as Elu sat and watched her for a few minutes before deciding to speak. "Princess Greta?"

"Hm?"

"Lady Kagome… is really pwe— I mean pretty." He said, correcting his speech instantly as he was taught by his grandmother.

Greta giggled at that. "Yup, that she is! She's my auntie, after all. Do you like her?"

"Um!" Elu nodded enthusiastically, picking up the pendant he was gifted with that still hung around his neck and studied it. "But I think there's something wrong with her."

That got Greta's full attention and she stopped what she was doing to face the younger child. "What do you mean, Elu-chan?"

"Well," Elu scrunched his face up in thought as though trying to find his words before blurting it out. "Well I don't think Uncle Gwendal likes her very much."

Greta blinked at him and frowned. "Eh? That can't be, Gwendal is the nicest person ever and he's especially nice to Aunt Kagome; more than to anyone else, actually."

"Then why does he look like he has a tummy ache whenever he looks at her?" Elu cocked his head to the side curiously.

Greta pouted, not really liking the idea that the two people she liked best in the world other than Yuuri were not getting along. It was true that Gwendal and Kagome had never stayed in one room long enough for a cup of tea since they got back from their mission but she had never heard Gwendal utter a single bad word about her aunt. Also, Greta couldn't see any ill intent in Gwendal's gazes whenever his eyes did fall on her aunt. She couldn't really understand the odd looks the Mazoku lord would shoot Kagome whenever the young woman fell in sight but Greta was absolutely positive his eyes held anything but ill intent. It was so intense she was almost sure Gwendal was trying to use some sort of mind control on her aunt.

"I don't know… maybe he _does_ have a tummy ache?"

"But he was eating with Grampa and Father!" Elu protested, still confused.

Greta's brow wrinkled in a way that would have made Gwendal proud. "No, Elu, you got it all wrong. Gwendal likes Aunt Kagome; I know it."

"But how would you know?"

Greta smiled and winked at him in a very Annisina like manner which would have alarmed the Mazoku lord of their current discussion. "Women's intuition."

Eli blinked at her. "Eh?"

And _that_ was the first lesson Elu had about the mysteries of adulthood. In his 4 year old mind he had made a conclusion. That girls are weird. He made a mental note to ask his mother about the same question later since he knew she wouldn't have to give him any confusing answers like that.

Suddenly the sound of rustling filled the entire clearing and both children looked up, surprised. Just as they were about to hop onto their feet to investigate their peaceful meadow was invaded through its only entrance.

"Princess Greta!" Koritsu gasped as he came panted through the opening in the wall of flora he forced open. "Thank goodness I found you! For a moment I thought we lost you!"

Elu stared at the damage and Greta thought he was about to cry so she frowned up at dark skinned man. "We were just playing, Sir Koritsu."

The man laughed at them nervously, scratching at his head as he apologized. "I'm sorry, princess, but I was so worried that I went through the forest looking for you."

Greta sighed. She guessed it wasn't his fault. "It's fine, maybe we should go see if Aunt Kagome's caught anybody yet."

Elu blinked his tears away and nodded making Greta grateful. "Okay."

"And, Sir Koritsu?"

"Yes, my lady?"

The young, dark skinned girl looked up sternly at the older man before she spoke. "You have to promise never to tell anyone about this place, okay?"

Koritsu flashed her a smile before bowing to her respectfully. "I swear it on my honor, princess."

"Thanks, Koritsu, let's go, Elu."

Greta caught Elu's hand and started to walk towards the curtain of vines they originally came in from. But as both children started to walk away, the sharp sound of metal whistling through the air as it was pulled out of a sheath sighed loudly in the small clearing.

Greta stiffened and Elu looked up at her, wondering why her hand felt clammy all of a sudden. The little girl tightened her hold on the little boy before slowly turning back towards Koritsu.

"I won't have to tell anyone this place if you so wish, princess," gone was Koritsu's wide grin and nervous demeanor, now replaced with a frightening sneer and an almost mad glint in his eyes. In his hand was a short sword that came from the canister strapped to his back and it shone deadly under the foliage of the trees. "Because this is where I'll bury you…!"

And for the first time in her life, Greta felt her whole body grow cold with shock…

/*****/

"Oh man!" Yuuri groaned as he began to take his turn as the 'it' person. "How did you know where I was?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at him even as the children snickered behind her. "I _always_ know where you hide, it's so darn obvious every time we play hide and seek since we were eight."

Yuuri pouted. "That can't be it; you must be using your miko magic mumbo jumbo to find me!"

"Puhlease, like I ever needed to use my mumbo jumbo on you. A four year old can hide better than you can. " Kagome deadpanned before looking around all of a sudden. "Speaking of four year olds, where's Elu?"

"Greta isn't here either, Lady Kagome." Rinji offered from where he was standing beside Wolfram who was busily trying not to smirk at Yuuri's dismay.

"Elu was supposed to show Greta this super cool hiding place," Yuuri told her, still sulking. "I wish they took me with them."

"That's strange, they should have been here by now," Kagome frowned, worried. "I'll go look for them; you guys should take the children back so they can eat something."

"Wait, Kagome, I'll come with you!"

"You should go ahead, Yuu-chan, we'll catch up." Kagome told him as she started to walk off.

"You'll get lost!"

"No I won't, now watch over the kids while I'm away!"

"I'll come with you, Mama!" Shippou offered, jumping on the balls of his feet.

Kagome ran her fingers softly over his head with a warm smile on her face. "It's fine, Shippou, I'll be good on my own. You go on and play with your Uncle Yuuri. And try to keep him from getting in trouble, okay?"

Shippou's eyes hardened with determination. "Okay, Mama! I'll protect the Maou!"

"There's my brave little kit." Kagome said proudly as she patted Shippou on the head.

"I am not a kid!" the Maou protested.

Kagome could practically feel Yuuri pouting as she walked further into the woods. Once she stepped out of sight from the others she began to scan the surrounding area with her eyes. Deciding it would take too long to find them this way, Kagome steadied herself and took a deep breath. Almost immediately, the essence of everything around her; the trees, rocks, birds, even the earth itself; all mixed itself in the wind. The young priestess took a deep breath in and that wind went into her mouth and nostrils like vapor and she closed her eyes to savor the energy of nature itself; memorizing it and becoming one with it until she could tell everything apart blindfolded. Quickly she honed in on the power she left in Elu's necklace.

"Are you sure you'll be alright all by yourself?"

Surprised, she turned around to find that Conrad had followed her and, unlike the other times she had seen him, he had a serious look on his face. It was the opposite of the expression he always kept on for Yuuri's sake. She was even more surprised that he left Yuuri's side to ask her that.

Kagome took this at face value, however and blinked at him in confusion before answering. "Yes, I'll be fine."

The hazel eyed knight folded his arms over his chest and frowned a little deeper. "You don't have to leave His Majesty's side; we can send the Kohi to search for Greta and Elu."

"If we call the Kohi it might raise a false alarm, I don't want to worry anyone. Can you imagine Gunter running around in a panic mobilizing the army thinking something happened to Yuuri? I can." She told him. "Besides, I can find them using Elu's pendant."

Conrad raised his brows at that, curious. "So the necklace is more than just protection from your powers?"

"That necklace has a part of _me_ in it," she explained solemnly. "So looking for Elu would be like looking for myself in the middle of this forest. I'm the only person who can do this, however. It's a side benefit."

"Still you are the Maou's sister," Conrad protested, looking impressed despite himself. "You should not be doing servant's work."

"Looking for someone important to you is not something I consider work," Kagome told him as she turned away. "It is more than just an obligation."

"…."

"I'll leave Yuuri to you, Conrad," she called back to him as she walked away. "Don't worry; I'll get the children back. I won't let anything happen to them, I promise."

She was in such a hurry that she missed the worried look on Conrad's face aimed at her before he glanced back to where Yuuri was who was busy speaking with the children slumped against a tree casually, reminded of his duty to his king. Reluctantly he went back to where Yuuri and the children were playing and wondered when he started caring for the soukoku priestess. He also couldn't help but wonder what in the world possessed him to even go after her.

Truly, she was as mysterious as the king…

Kagome, in the meantime, followed the trail Elu's pendant left behind and had to chuckle when it led to a large tree with a pile of vines hanging off a stout branch like a curtain. She had to admit that she would never even think about looking here had she not used her powers. If this is where Elu led Greta that she would have to assume Mazoku kids were naturally clever. Meaning she would have her work cut out for her as Shippou's growing up.

At the thought she stopped and smiled a bit sadly.

She might not get to see her kit grow up, after all.

"…finally kill you without the Maou or any of his men watching over your shoulder."

Kagome felt her blood freeze at the words spoken in the familiar voice of Koritsu of Zorashiya from beyond the curtain of greenery.

"With you dead Zorashiya will finally be free and under its rightful ruler!"

Kagome didn't need to hear anything anymore. With the element of surprise on her side, she burst into thicket of vines and rushed to the other side entering a glade filled with flowers. However she wasn't give the chance to appreciate them because of the scene that met her.

Greta and Elu were on the ground, both pale and quivering in fright, holding each other tightly as though seeking comfort from the horrifying sight of Koritsu of Zorashiya standing over them with a maniacal look on his usually pleasant face, a short metal sword in his hand.

And he was about to bring that hand down on a wide eyed Greta.

"AHHHHHH!"

"GRETA! ELU!" Kagome called out before she could stop herself used the force of her momentum to throw her own body against the dark skinned man's back, making him lose his grip on the sword and taking down his balance.

Kagome knew she did not have more time. "Greta! Elu! Run!"

Greta seemed to have been shaken back into consciousness at her yell because she looked up and scrunched her face up bravely before grabbing Elu's hand started running for the vines that would lead them out of the glade. She started running after them.

Kagome didn't understand a lot of it. Okay she didn't understand _any_ of it; but there was one thing she _did_ understand.

Koritsu wanted to kill her niece and that was just something she _cannot_ allow. Yuuri would go absolutely insane if something happened to Greta.

The children had made good time but the distance their little legs made wasn't enough for the danger they were in at the moment. Being in this kind of situation more times than it was healthy told her she should not drop her guard down. Once she did they were done for.

Up ahead the children were running as fast as they could and Kagome wondered if anybody had suspected anything about Koritsu yet. Damn it, if no one came they were dead. Both children were hopping over a large tree root when Elu tripped and fell, taking Greta with him.

"Crap!" she hissed just before a shadow passed over the ground she was running on. Kagome blinked and looked up as discreetly as she could and saw the bat wings of a familiar skeleton up above. She almost smiled. "Perfect timing."

Overtaking the children, she picked Elu up first and lifted Greta under her arm as she looked up into the sky and waved. She then placed Greta on top of the large, uplifted tree root and made the young girl carry Elu.

"Aunt… Kagome…?"

Greta's mind was in a whirl, she didn't know what was going on anymore. When she called her aunt's name the young miko tried to smile through her wince as she looked down at her niece's teary eyes and Elu's wide eyed ones. The older woman looked like she was in pain so why was she still smiling…?

"Greta," her aunt spoke to her softly in a voice that curiously calmed her. "You have to go look for Yuuri. Tell him what happened and make sure all of you are safe. I will stay here and keep him away from you. Make sure you hold onto Elu very tightly."

"Auntie—"

"Do as I say."

"But—"

"Your father will be very sad if something bad happens to you…" Greta felt herself being hugged tightly. "I need you to be strong, alright?"

"No! Elu doesn't want to leave you here, Lady Kagome!" the little boy clutched at the front of her gown desperately. "The bad man will hurt you!"

But the children watched Kagome merely smile as she softly ran her fingers through Elu's head. "It will be fine… After you get help then you can come back to save me, right?"

Elu's little lip trembled but he scrunched his face up in determination before nodding despite the tears falling off his chubby cheeks. "Okay, Lady Kagome… I'll tell Father to come right away!"

Kagome smiled back gently at the child before turning solemn eyes on Greta. "I'm counting on you."

Greta swallowed before tightening her grip on Elu and mustering a brave face as well. "Yes, Aunt Kagome."

"Very good." Kagome then lifted her face up at the sky and called. "KOHI!"

And in one swoop, the flying skeleton dived into the foliage and hovered before her. Kagome took the children and placed then in the Kotsuhizoku's arm. Kagome spoke to the strange creature in a strict and firm voice. "Take them back to my brother as fast as you can."

The kotsuhizoku's teeth chattered in agreement and it began pulling away from Kagome who still had her arms outstretched and supporting the children, making sure the Kohi won't outbalance itself, standing on tiptoes as it flew upwards carefully with its precious cargo.

"_Did you really think you could get away_?"

Kagome hissed when she heard Koritsu's harsh voice behind her but her eyes widened when she heard the familiar whistle of a blade gliding through the air. Without being given a chance to move she felt the blade run through her body from the back as she remained on her toes, her arms stretched towards the kohi flying away with the horrified children.

"AUNT KAGOMEEEEE!"

Kagome stood there for a moment, the blade impaled through her body from the back and a curious feeling of relief ran through her heart at the thought of dying. And then she fell to ground drowning in a pool of her own blood as she smiled at the children now safely beyond their assassin's reach…

_Is it time yet…_ she thought as her world dimmed. _Is this the end I have been waiting for…?_

And then her eyes closed just as she caught a glimpse of Koritsu's boots came into her line of sight and the sound of his curses filled the clearing followed shortly by a terrible agonized scream and the sounds of more thunderous feet running towards her…

The scream sounded like Yuuri.

_It's okay, Yuu-chan…_ she wanted to say even as she lost consciousness. _It's meant to be this way… Please… it's going to be okay…_

/*****/

**AN**: Tell me what you think! ^_^v


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: **And so, **MusicAdd**, you were right in your review back in Chapter 8; Kagome's selflessness _will_ get her killed one day (not that I'll really kill her and all ^^)

Also sorry about the wait; I have been so tired with work I can hardly think but I will try my best to update as soon as I can. And I am absolutely FLABBERGASTED at the response I received from the last chapter. That thing was barely 6,000 words _long_! I was so shocked and happy I had to stop and stare at the reviews page for a whole minute! Your reviews helped me get through the stress of everyday life and I am so happy.

I guess I just want to say; thank you so much, you guys.

Now.

Please enjoy! ^_^v

**Chapter 19**

"Oh!"

Shibuya Miko cried out as a ceramic mug from her pantry was knocked back as she was looking into her supplies to see which one she should restock on. Overcoming the initial shock of having one of her precious china break on her after a few minutes, she crouched down to gather the dishes and identify them. She blinked when she found which mug it was.

It was the carnation printed mug she had bought Kagome for whenever she visited. The one she forbade anyone from using. It wasn't smashed but it was cut cleanly in half like a block of butter sliced by a sharp kitchen knife.

Dread pulsed through her as the image of her only daughter flashed through her minds eye and she clutched the broken mug to her chest.

"Kagome…" she whispered to the empty kitchen her son Shouri just vacated.

/*****/

Aki hummed a folk song as she was finishing up the puddle of tea Yuuri and Ken had just been sucked through. In the background she could hear her father in law pestering Souta about the tales of the feudal era with his usual spiel about demons and miko and monks and what their ancestors did to involve them in the history of all those beings. Aki had to smile at the bored grunts from Souta. Although Kagome was their grandfather's obvious favorite, Souta was undoubtedly just as close to the old man as Kagome ever was.

Standing up after cleaning up the rag full of tea in the wooden pail she used inside the house, the dark haired older woman stretched out a bit before picking up the bucket and started for the kitchen. However, as she did so the sound of a sharp crack filled the living room and Aki turned back sharply to see what it was that made the sound. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw that Kagome's most recent picture; taken in front of the Goshinboku just a month ago in her new school uniform had a long crack on the glass.

Aki's hand went straight to her throat and gasped.

_Kami…_, she prayed. _Please protect my Kagome…_

/****/

"What's wrong, Kikyou?"

The undead priestess blinked and stared at her hanyou lover, realizing she had just stopped in her tracks and Inuyasha was now staring at her oddly.

Kikyou took a deep breath before speaking. "It's nothing."

Inuyasha frowned at her. "You got that look on your face whenever you were sensing Naraku earlier, it _can't_ have been nothing."

Kikyou frowned as she grasped the front of her robes with a fist. "My reincarnation…"

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he struggled not to show his concern. "What about Kagome?"

Kikyou looked back sharply at the hanyou who nearly flinched at the cold glare she gave him before she started walking on ahead of him. "Nothing. She's happy."

It was a lie but she knew Inuyasha would never be able to smell it. Being undead had some conveniences, after all. She did not miss the flash of concern in his amber eyes when she mentioned her reincarnation and she would rather go to hell alone before she mentioned _her_ name again.

But as she walked ahead in front of a silent Inuyasha, she couldn't help but think about the sudden press of pain that jabbed into the soul that gave her body movement. It was painful and agonizing and she had to raise her brows at the copious amount of pain her reincarnation must be experiencing at the moment.

That pleased her.

The fact that her reincarnation was in pain meant that she would die soon and if that happened, then her soul would finally be complete.

She could not wait…

/*****/

Shouri smirked greedily at the screen of his monitor. Only one click of a yes and he would be able to win the heart of the maiden blushing prettily on his screen. He moved his mouse pointer a little bit to the left and clicked…

But suddenly a flash of indescribable dread shot through his mind, distracting him and made him click 'no' instead.

The screen flashed 'Game Over'.

"Dammit!" Shouri cried out in disbelief as the game glared the words 'Game over at him'. "You've got to be kidding me! I was _this_ close!"

He scowled and folded his arms over his chest before he tapped impatiently on his desktop, the results on his computer monitor ignored even as the displeased face of one of the female characters on his new dating sim glared at him but Shouri wasn't seeing her… he was seeing Kagome's face.

He scowled and grabbed his celphone from his pocket, clicking a number on his speed dial and waited to get connected. He was surprised that he didn't have to wait for the third ring for an answer.

"…Yes, Shouri, what is it?"

Shouri frowned. Training with the old Mazoku had made him sensitive to his non existent emotions and he had heard a tiny quaver of hesitation in his voice just now. It was enough to let him know that there was something terribly wrong. "What's going on?"

Silence. Shouri did not like this one little bit.

"…What do you mean…?" Bob finally asked him.

Shouri felt his breath backing up his throat and tried to keep his tone steady as he spoke. He couldn't believe straight forward Bob— Maou of Earth— was actually hedging. _Hedging_! "Did something happen in Shin Makoku just now?"

"…Perhaps."

Shouri's scowl deepened and a deep sense of urgency ran through him. "Can't you rush that path to Shin Makoku a bit more so I can go there?"

"I told you that that is not possible," Bob told him in his monotone voice. "It's only been 10 minutes since you asked for a path to open and I barely have enough time to get out of my seat yet."

Shouri clenched his teeth tightly. "Damn it, Bob, I want to see my sister!"

"I believe that your brother can take care of her just fine." The older Mazoku replied dryly.

"That's not the point here!" Shouri cried out in frustration as he left his chair and stomped over to his window, looking out and scowling into the bright sky outside. "Don't you understand, Bob? I _need_ to see, Kagome. Something could have happened to her out there and as her older brother I need to protect her! Yuu-chan may be Maou but even he can't keep an eye on her all the time."

"You speak of her as though she were weak." Shouri could practically see Bob raising a black brow at him. "Yuuri made me believe she is a very powerful priestess."

"No matter how strong Kagome is she's still my sister," Shouri scowled. "I have a God given right to worry about her!"

"I understand," Bob told him. "But you should trust her as well. It is a mistake, Shouri, not to have faith in the people we trust the most."

"It's not her I don't trust," Shouri mumbled. "It's everybody else."

"If you're that worried then why don't _you_ open up a path yourself?" Bob asked him almost sardonically. "I believe I have already taught you how to use your powers enough after all these years to make a portal to Shin Makoku possible."

"You know I can't just do that from out of the blue!" Shouri sighed into the phone in exasperation. "Without a navigator I'd be in trouble! I'll need The Friend of my Brother to act as guide for me!"

"Then you will need to wait."

Bob shut the phone off without waiting for the younger man to hang up and sat still in his office chair placed inside his Spartan workplace located all the way up in the Swiss Alps. He remained in that position, his mind going over memories long past before he moved to open a locked drawer behind his desk sealed by his own maryouko. It slid open at his touch and from in it he took out an extremely old scroll that had somehow survived the ravages of time…

"Is it really… time…?" he whispered to the emptiness of the room. "Will I really be able to keep my promises…?"

On an elaborately decorated stand hanging on the wall just across from him hung a long, thin case made of beautiful mahogany. It would have been a simple decoration to some but what made it currently interesting was the light glow it emitted from within as well as the hum it resonated that seemed to be calling for something beyond the grasp of a human being…

The Mazoku of Earth merely ignored this and looked out into the calming wilderness outside the glass windows of his office…

_Perhaps… the time is soon…_, he thought as he turned back to the view outside his office. _And then, Maou of Shin Makoku… what will you do…?_

/*****/

"KAGOMEEEEEEEE!"

Anyone who would have heard the cry that came from the Maou of Shin Makoku would have had their hearts broken but the look of sheer devastation and shock on his face would have shattered their souls apart.

It was the cry of a man clearly gone half mad with grief.

Murata Ken knew that cry. How many times in his many lifetimes had he heard such sounds of complete agony and despair? How many times had he felt it emit from his own mouth and burn through his own throat? And how many times had he prayed— each time before he died to not experience the same torment again in his next lifetime? To not fear another eternity pass him by with a piece of himself hurt and scorched and jaded?

When he was born in Yuuri's time and started replaying memories of past lives in his head he had thought he would not have to suffer through such agony again or see anyone in such a state of despair…

How sadly wrong he was.

The proof was right in front of him with his best friend watching in horror as his twin sister was impaled by an enemy sword. He felt like his bones had turned to water.

"LADY KAGOME!"

"AUNT KAGOME!"

Ken noted how the Kotsuhizoku landed beside Hube as soon as he entered the clearing but steadfastly avoided Yuuri. Hube took Elu in his arms tightly, shaking like the frightened father that he was. Greta stood beside them looking on worriedly at her foster father. Both children were sobbing badly. Lord Hubert and Delchias were immediately in front of them ready to protect them if need be.

His attention was then diverted when Gwendal angrily ran towards Koritsu with his sword drawn and his face drawn in such a fierce expression of anger that Ken almost felt sorry for the dark skinned man. He had to stop and stare at the look on his face and vaguely noted that he had never seen the Mazoku lord _that_ upset before. He was usually the most controlled member of the Ten Nobles but now here he was, reacting on pure impulse and forgetting all reason. It was a sight to behold and he wondered when Gwendal started feeling such a fierce sense of loyalty for Yuuri that he would be willing to kill someone for harming the Maou's beloved sister. Ken knew Gwendal had always been loyal to the Maou after Yuuri took on his post but never to the point when the gray haired man actually lost himself to duty. The Great Sage understood that this was part of his pride.

What happened next surprised him even further. Instead of retreating like any sane person _would_ when faced with a big, angry man with a big sharp and pointy weapon just itching to cut his throat off and a very powerful Maou on the verge of a major meltdown, Koritsu merely stood over Kagome's prone body fiercely. And then, if that wasn't bad enough, he took a black crystal out of one of his hidden pockets and held it up high.

Murata noted the way Gwendal stopped mid run at the sight of the stone he held.

"Don't come any closer you bastards!" a smug Koritsu shouted at them. "I'll never let you take me alive!"

Murata, confused, ran towards the man until he was stopped from going further by Conrad's outstretched arm.

"Don't come any closer to it, Your Highness!" the brown haired knight told him harshly as he stood in front of him and Yuuri.

"Why, what is it?" Murata asked back, still staring at the stone. "What _is_ that thing? I feel the power coming from it!"

Yes he felt it, especially when it started glowing dark red. It was a power similar to…

"It's the stone of mixed houseki and maseki," he heard Yozak mutter a little behind him. "It was the same power that tried to revive Sousho."

"_What_?" Ken was genuinely surprised now. Because if what he was feeling was true then the person who made these stones had knowledge similar to his.

He paled further at the very thought but shook his head. _One headache at a time, Ken… Just one at a time…_

Kagome takes priority right now. They needed to save her.

Koritsu laughed at them. "As long as I have this stone given to me by my master I will _never_ be defeated!"

Murata narrowed his eyes at the dark skinned man. "Master…?"

"That's right, Soukoku no Daikenja! I have a master more noble than any king; beautiful than any Mazoku and more powerful than any Maou this filthy country could ever produce!" Koritsu announced, his eyes gleaming fiercely with pride and madness. "And he has given me the honor of carrying out his plans for glory!"

"What plans, damn you?" Murata heard Wolfram shout from somewhere in front of Yuuri as well, sword drawn and throwing Kagome's bleeding form anxious glances as he did so.

It was obvious the blond was worried even if he refused to show it.

"Zorashiya is Suberera's!" Koritsu shouted back. "Under Suberera's rule, Zorashiya would never be under the control of the filthy Mazoku! Suberera would make it strong and it would not betray its people like the daughter of Izura did!"

"You're wrong!" Lord Delchias shouted as he stepped up towards the dark skinned man to try and appeal to him like the true diplomat he was. "Greta's adoption into the Maou's household has made Zorashiya a Shin Makoku protectorate! Princess Greta has not abandoned you, she has saved you!"

"_Silence_! You are all a bunch of filthy _liars_!" Koritsu screamed. "I will not wait any longer! I will kill you all the way I have killed this little—"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Yuuri's enraged cry rang over the entire area, rising into a growl as a powerful wave of maryouko exploded out of his body, destroying a good portion of the area's flora and almost throwing everyone off their feet and refusing to allow Koritsu the finish his words. It was like a tidal wave of power; fearsome and beautiful at the same time.

"You…" the Maou growled as he allowed his maryouko to surround his body, transforming him into the powerful Mazoku they knew he could be. "_Murderer_…"

Ken stiffened. One look at Yuuri's face and he knew that this was going to be trouble.

"Don't you come any closer!" a now scared Koritsu yelled at the enraged Maou as he backed away from Kagome's unmoving body. Even _he_ could feel the force of soukoku's rage. "I'm warning you, filthy Mazoku!"

Yuuri growled quietly even as his body pulsed with power and his ebony eyes glowed with a tinge of red.

Koritsu let out a keening cry of terror as he stared into the murderous slitted eyes of the steadily approaching demon king. "_Stay away_…!"

Yuuri took another step closer to the criminal, tears starting to fall from his eyes as they brushed across Kagome's prone form.

A pair of particularly violent looking water dragons spouted out of the nearby river again, crying into the air as they launched togethe towards Koritsu. In a matter of seconds, the dark skinned man was bound tightly by the elemental beings and were currently being drowned cruelly in their bodies.

This was a Yuuri they had not seen in a long while now.

This was a Yuuri out of control.

This was a Yuuri who was out for blood.

But what was more shocking was the fight Koritsu was putting up. Instead of cowering in terror like he was doing earlier he struggled within the attack until he had his arm sticking outside the water dragon's body and reaching for the hilt of the short sword still buried inside Kagome's unmoving form. If the attack continued then Kagome's body would be flung across the area, possibly tearing off her limbs or joining him inside he water dragon to die.

"SHIBUYA, STOP!" Ken yelled at his best friend even as he tried to hold his ground. "DAMNIT, STOP!"

Murata was about to shout at Yuuri again but was further surprised when he was beaten to it by none other than Conrad. The king's knight struggled to step closer to Yuuri, fighting to stay on his feet so as not to be blown away by his maryouko.

"Your Majesty!" his solid tenor voice rang in the air. "PLEASE STOP THIS!"

But it was as though Yuuri had gone deaf. As though reason was a light that would never be able to reach him again.

"SHIBUYA!" Murata called to him, lending his voice to Conrad's reasoning, thankful that someone other than himself could actually think in this situation. "SHIBUYA, _CALM DOWN_!"

Kagome's impaled body was slowly being lifted up off the ground. It was truly a gruesome sight to see and it was getting worse by the moment as Koritsu struggled to use her as a way to stay on the ground. She had woken up and was staring faintly at Yuuri with glassy onyx eyes filled with pain. Ken noted that her lips were forming words she was too weak to say but Ken knew her enough to know what they meant. And it pierced him in the gut at the realization.

_It's going to be alright…_

With a last burst of strength, Conrad pushed himself to propel his own body towards the king and used his lean arms to bind Yuuri in an encompassing embrace. "STOP IT, YUURI!"

"Let go." Yuuri ordered in a deadly quiet voice. "Let. Go. _Now_."

Conrad merely tightened his hold on the smaller man and shouted, trying not to get thrown off by the Maou. "I SAID STOP! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING? YOU ARE HURTING KAGOME!"

Those words worked like a magic spell. Yuuri's cat slit eyes widened and instantly, the water dragons dissolved into a puddle, creating a small lake in the forest and soaking Koritsu and Kagome thoroughly. Koritsu gasped for precious oxygen and panted but he wouldn't let go of the handle of the blade still inside Kagome's now wet body. The water had washed away her blood from the ground.

"Ka… go… me…" Yuuri whispered as Conrad finally let go of him, spent after using so much of his strength just trying to get near the Maou and stop him from accidentally killing his own sister. "Ka… go… me…"

"Yuuri!" Conrad called to him and tightened his hold even further around a dazed, pained Maou to stop him from walking towards Kagome's body blindly. "Stop, Yuuri!"

"Don't leave… me…" Ken and Conrad both heard him whisper and both looked at the Maou's face to see his shocked and unblinking ebony eyes spill lost tears. "Please… Don't leave me…"

Ken could see how hard Yuuri's tears hit Conrad after seeing them flow from the Maou's eyes and the blaze in the knight's own sight only heightened when he looked back to where Kagome was. They were filled with a fierce need to take vengeance for his king and his sister. Ken was unsure as to what happened between Conrad and Kagome between the time he had first seen the girl when Yuuri first dragged Kagome to Shin Makoku up to the time he was sent out to retrieve the girl from the North Tower this afternoon but it was clear that Conrad had developed some sort of positive feelings for his friend. The Great Sage didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing yet.

In a motion almost too fast to see, Conrad suddenly unsheathed his sword and ran towards Koritsu to attack him with a roar. "_Get away from my lady_!"

"Fool! Did you really think it would be that easy?" Koritsu shouted at his approach before again lifting the dark stone in his hand. "_It's time I display the awesome power of my master!_"

And before they could do anything about it, the dark skinned man slammed the stone into a hole placed at the center of the short sword's hilt without even taking it out of Kagome's body. What happened next was something that even Koritsu didn't seem to be expecting.

As soon as the stone was placed in the hilt, the metal blade shattered like a broken glass from tip to tip… And in its place remained a familiar stone dagger glowing malevolently and a scream rang out from Kagome's hoarse throat echoing as her body arched towards a steadily darkening sky. And if that were not enough a faint gas of pink clouds were starting to rise up from the soukoku female's body to condensate an arms length above her and started forming a jewel of pink hue…

"That's…" Ken swallowed hard before stepping forward, his mouth agape in wonder at the scene before him. "The Shikon no Tama…"

He had never imagined he would be able to once again see the soul he had made in this condition and in its present form. And at his voice the jewel flashed as though in recognition like a child responding to its parent's voice… before it started being covered by another film of smoke, this time the color of pure pearls. It curled around the Shikon no Tama protectively as though trying to hide it from their eyes.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Ken gaped wide eyed at the scene.

If the Shikon is there then that white cloud is…

'_That dagger is special. It's made by the blood of a dozen babes and forged in the pain of a hundred demon souls… It would create a barrier around me, preventing all my friends to come to my aid forcing them to watch me die and my blood will be replaced by the poison. Pain would drench my entire body until I would go mad with it. And when I am dead it will claim my soul and my powers for the user to do as they wish. My soul will become a mere object. Like the Shikon no Tama…'_

Murata went deathly pale remembering Kagome's words before he sent her off in search of Rolf. They were like flames that burned his mind now and he knew— just _knew_— that he had to stop this.

"W-what's going on…?" Koritsu mumbled as he stared at the crackling dark light coming from the place where the dagger was buried in Kagome's bleeding body. "This… this isn't supposed to happen…!"

Another feminine scream of pain rent through the air as a light bathed in darkness flashed from the stone of the dagger and spread a transparent dome around her prone body just enough to enclose her in its embrace until it was only a few inches from touching her. Conrad persisted in trying to reach her, hoping the force of his body would be enough to break through but he was thrown back with a force that took him halfway back towards Yuuri; Yozak rushed to cushion his fall successfully but both their eyes fixed themselves on the jewel. Koritsu was also thrown away from her once the dome was set and hit a nearby tree hard before sliding down its trunk, unconscious.

"FUCK!"

"_NO_!"

Ken looked back in surprise and saw Gwendal running towards the dome, a panic and frightened look on his face that fairly made the Great Sage blink. It was the first time he had seen the Mazoku general display so many emotions in barely an hour. The dark gray haired Mazoku was stopped by the barrier that he began trying to put a hole into with the force of his maryouko. Everyone else outside the children and Yuuri were gaping at the display Gwendal was letting them see.

Finally, Wolfram started to move and warily approached his brother. "Aniue! What are you doing?"

But Gwendal was ignoring him. He was ignoring _everybody_.

He brought down his sword on the barrier with such force but the explosion caused by his maryouko rolled off the transparent dome like water and exploded a deep trench around the area outside the barrier Kagome was lying in leaving the transparent wall flawless as though it were mocking them and their reckless efforts.

Gwendal started to gather more maryouko for another attack and began to raise his sword above his head.

"Gwendal!"

"Your Excellency!"

Yozak and Conrad darted forward to stop Gwendal from exhausting himself further but the older Mazoku struggled hard and wildly, almost throwing off the pair and growling viciously at the invisible wall dividing them from Kagome. "Let GO!"

"Aniue, stop!" Wolfram cried out in fear, terrified at Gwendal's sudden crazed behavior. "You're hurting yourself!"

"Let. Me. _GO_!"

Yozak gaped at it even as he winced from trying to hold a struggling Gwendal back. He had known his commander was strong but he had only a vague idea as to how much strength he had… and now it frightened him. "What is this thing?"

"This is the power of a miko," Ken answered him grimly, struggling to keep a calm head about the situation, his lenses hiding his eyes from the others. "Dark or light they are superior to the Mazoku in terms of magic when faced against each other. If this had been made by Kagome, coming near it would have liquefied us already. I think the only thing allowing us to even come near it would be the miasma surrounding that thing."

Remembering the barrier she had erected around them back in Ichri, Yozak gulped and nodded.

"Murata," Yuuri called him hoarsely as he came to kneel right outside the barrier and leaned his hands against it, gazing longingly at his sister's bleeding form. "What is going on…?"

Ken expelled a heavy breath; his shoulders slumped as though in defeat before he spoke. "We can talk about that later; right now we have to focus on stopping that dagger before it sucks the soul right out of your sister and turn it into the Shikon no Tama version 2 point Oh!"

The demon king's eyes widened into the size of saucers before they flashed and he turned murderous eyes at the crackling wall of energy separating him from his sister. "Stand aside."

Everyone did so instantly after hearing the commanding tone in his voice but Ken came in between the Maou and the barrier immediately.

"Are you insane?" Ken snapped at his friend after everything settled down. "You might hurt her!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" Yuuri yelled at him, desperation falling along with the tears in his eyes. "I can't just stand here and watch her die!"

"I know but you won't be doing her any favors if you brutally assault the barrier!" Ken yelled back at him. "I'm not completely sure how much of your maryouko it can stand but if you use too much and it _does_ penetrate that thing, you'll _crush_ her!"

These words had Yuuri's maryouko sliding back into his body until it was almost non existent then he lowered his hand and looked away in frustration and inner agony. "Damn it! This is all my fault!"

Wolfram moved closer to him, unsure how to comfort the soukoku ruler. "Yuuri…"

"No, it's not your fault," Ken told him and looked back at Lord Hubert and Delchias tying up a still unconscious Koritsu. "Something a lot more serious is going on here that we don't know about and that man is the answer. I don't like it but we'll need to keep him alive until we get those answers."

"Tch."

Hube frowned along with Yozak.

"We need to get her out of there." Gwendal announced. He had stopped struggling after he heard Ken's words and had seemed to regain some of his senses back. "She's bleeding heavily. If we don't get her some medical attention she will die, and if we allow that dagger to stay inside her it will consume her soul."

"Your Highness," Conrad stepped closer to Murata. "You said you created her soul, did you not? Surely you would know what to do!"

Ken clenched his fists tightly and went back to staring helplessly at Kagome's rapidly paling body. "My life span back then by the time I created her was not enough to study the way miko had evolved so dark miko are a species that are unknown to me. What I _do_ know is that they can use curses more than purification energy and had the ability to fuel their powers with malice. It's kinda like the darkness eating at the light. This is what's happening now. If only… if only I had _that_ right now."

"That?" Hube asked curiously.

Ken scowled, his brows knotted in thought before answering. "Christel's notes…"

Before anyone could ask him any more questions, Elu and Greta let out loud wails as the little girl knelt before Kagome's body outside the barrier and the boy struggled against his father's hold to join the girl.

"Lady Kagome!" Elu sobbed beside Greta. "Father, please! I don't want her to die!"

Hube clenched his fists against his only son's pleas. "I'm sorry, Elu…"

"Why can't anyone help her?" Greta cried. "She helped us get away from Sir Koritsu, didn't she? Shouldn't we help her too?"

"Greta…" Yuuri whispered before joining her on her side of the ground and hugging his foster daughter tightly. "She's not going to die… She can't leave us…!"

"If something happened to her then what about Shippou?" she cried. "He'll be so sad…"

"Lady Kagome…!" Elu interrupted her and reached up to touch the barrier with a pudgy little hand.

Everyone gasped and moved to take the child away from the barrier but, to their surprise, Elu's hand passed through the transparent wall as though it were water.

"How…?" Ken rushed forward and held the boy around the chest. It was then that he noticed the now glowing stone of the jewel Kagome gave him as a birthday present hanging around his neck and he understood what just happened. "Of course…"

"Murata!"

The Great Sage ignored the king. "Elu, I need to borrow Kagome's gift for a bit, okay?"

Elu blinked wide brown eyes at him and sniffed. "Are you going to help Lady Kagome?"

Ken grinned down at the little boy. "Of course!"

Quicker than a wink, the little boy took the necklace off and shoved it towards the soukoku ruler. "You can keep it! Just help Lady Kagome!"

Touched, Ken's smile trembled a bit before taking the pendant and ruffling Elu's hair fondly. "Now how can I take such a precious item from one of Kagome's most precious people just like that? She'd hate me for sure!"

Elu merely blinked up at him and nodded, his childish mind somehow getting the gist of what he was trying to say.

Encouraged, Ken stood up and gathered the stone in front of his chest and closed his eyes, calling in the power of the pendant from within, using his spirit to awaken it and making it respond to him the same way the Shikon no Tama did earlier. He found doing this easy. Kagome's soul was as familiar to him as his own heart.

"Murata…" Yuuri took a step towards him. "What are you planning to do?"

Ken opened his eyes and everyone blinked at the uncharacteristic coldness on the Soukoku no Daikenja's face. "I'm getting her back."

"How?"

"She used her life force to turn this maseki into a protection amulet for Elu from all kinds of holy power," Ken explained grimly. "That doesn't mean Elu's the only one who can use it. If I take this and use it as a form of protection against the barrier then I could get into that thing and free her."

"Then let me do it." Yuuri said, resolution making him stand straighter than he did earlier.

"No, I'm the only one who can do it."

"But—"

"You are half demon born of a demon father and a human mother, Shibuya," Ken told him seriously. "Even though I have a Mazoku soul inside me, I was still born fully human. I'll have a better chance of using this plan than any of you besides Greta. If anyone else goes in there they'll be fried in an instant and we can't have that."

"He's right, Yuuri," Wolfram nodded seriously at Yuuri. "As your statesmen, we can't let you be endangered. We're already breaking protocol just letting you stay here."

Yozak stepped closer in worry. "Your Highness…"

"Besides," the Great Sage muttered before holding out his hand. "The Shikon no Tama… will respond to me."

Yuuri became worried at the tone of his friend's voice. "Murata…?"

Ken smiled bitterly and allowed his eyes to be covered by the glare of his lenses. "It's because it knows who I am."

And with that, he held out the jewel and allowed it to pass through the barrier with his arm. When it didn't harm him, Ken continued on and walked into the barrier until he was completely inside it. The first thing he noticed was Kagome's barely breathing, bleeding body.

He knelt down beside her and checked her pulse; almost non existent. "Hang on, Kagome. I'm getting you out of here…"

He then looked up and stared at the two souls merging into one single round stone chipped a bit on the side. Unlike the Shikon no Tama, this stone was the color of snow and the places where it seemed chipped, the Shikon could be seen through and it was as though blood was spattered on that single snowball. The miasma from the dagger trying to creep around the now almost solid orb lent it the appearance of a blood spattered snowflake falling under the face of a moonless night.

The Shikon no Tama sparkled beneath Kagome's nearly blinding one and Ken gasped as he heard its call. The way it recognized him at that moment. Ken felt like his own heart was going to break. His finger reached out to touch it but it zapped him with painful violence that the sable eyed soukoku had to retract his hand. The demon half containing the other half of the jewel was mad and furious. It was then that he knew that the jewel was beyond his control…

He swallowed and then turned back to the white part of the jewel almost completely enclosing the Shikon no Tama like a pearl. Ken observed it, trying to ignore the ache in his chest at the results of his folly.

_So this is Kagome's soul..._, Ken thought sadly and with more than a little dread as he found his theories realized by this telling discovery. _It's missing quite a bit of itself... Looks like my suspicions were correct._

He wondered what it felt like to lose such a significant part of your soul. He reached out to touch it, drawn by the beautiful light it reflected. It was as pure as a pearl. Instead of feeling the tight sting of purification like he expected, the soukoku Great Sage felt the feeling of pure kindness and warmth. It was his friend. It was Kagome… He marveled at the difference between two souls entwined so closely to each other they were almost one. No wonder her aura in Ulrike's maryouko orb glowed so brightly…

Ken shook his head and turned to the matter at hand.

"Murata, what are you doing?" Ken turned around and saw Yuuri banging from outside the barrier.

"Alright, just give me a minute!" he yelled back at him.

But Yuuri's next words made him stop in shock. "Stop fooling around and kill her!"

"What?" Ken blinked. Surely he hadn't heard that right… did he?

"Your Highness!" it was Yozak this time. "Kill her!"

"She's a danger to the Maou! She must be destroyed!" Wolfram cried out in seeming outrage.

Ken shook his head, confused. He would understand Wolfram but both Yozak and Yuuri loved Kagome! Why would they call for her death?

But he observed their faces closely as they all cried out for her blood and found something odd… Although their voices were dripping with bloodlust, their faces were filled with worry. Understanding dawned on him with horrifying clarity. Part of the dagger's curse was to weaken the victim's will to live by making it think there was nothing to live for. It was truly a trap meant to make its victim suffer.

"I'm sorry but I am not letting you take her." He announced sternly at the offending object stuck to his friend before taking the dagger's hilt in his hand and pressed the maseki against it.

The effect was instantaneous.

As soon as the maseki touched the dark stone it purified from the hilt to the tip, making it easier to pull the weapon out. As soon as the dagger was out Murata watched as the forming jewel that was her soul floated back into her body like a ball of light. As soon as it was safely inside of Kagome's body she arched up and gasped a lungful of air like a diver gasping for breath after long minutes under the water. She was still unconscious and still bleeding, but she was panting heavily and breathing. It was a start. The barrier fell around them like a shattered mirror.

"KAGOME!"

"_Aunt Kagome_!"

In an instant, the two children and a shaking Yuuri were kneeling beside the dying young woman and hugged her close. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…!"

"Yuuri, we need to get her medical attention!" Conrad knelt beside the Maou and tried to take Kagome from him.

Yuuri nodded and began to set Kagome down again. "Yeah…"

But as Conrad was reaching for Kagome's body, a stony voice pierced through the air and surrounded them with a cold feeling of danger. "Get out of the way."

Everyone looked up and blinked at the tall Mazoku lord with wide eyes but they were all ignored. Yuuri himself was even brushed aside as Gwendal picked Kagome up with unerring gentleness and started off with long strides towards the Brischella castle, the children following after her. Ken couldn't help but think this must have been how Hades took away Persephone when he decided he wanted her for his wife.

It took a while before everyone shook themselves out of their gaping and ran after the dark gray haired lord. They followed him and witnessed how his maryouko flashed and practically blasted the closed doors of the Brischela castle allowing him to enter without having to release his dying burden. Among the horrified and surprised exclamations of the guests, one voice stood out in the crowd.

"MAMA!" Shippou cried out, Kirara running right beside him as he practically tackled Gwendal's legs, his green eyes wide and crazed. "Mama! What did you do to my Mama?"

"Oh dear Shinou, is that Lady Kagome?" Gunter gasped as he ran to the taller Mazoku.

"Shippou!" Greta called out to her cousin in tears as she came in with Yuuri and the others while Gunter started fussing over the Maou's sister. "Aunt Kagome was hurt by Sir Koritsu while she was saving us! I'm so sorry!"

Ken and the others watched as Shippou forced himself to let go of Gwendal and wrap an arm around Greta before sniffing. "You're not hurt. That's good, Mama wouldn't like it if you were."

Elu's lips trembled at that before he let out a loud wail in his father's arms.

"Elu! Hube!" Nikola shouted as she fought her way from the crowd to wrap her arms around her husband and son. "Was it true?"

Hube nodded to her. "Koritsu was planning to assassinate Lady Greta and Elu was with her he was also to be a target but Lady Kagome found them somehow and was stabbed instead."

Nikola gasped in horror. "Oh no!"

"Get away!" another voice from the crowd fought their way towards them. It was Gisela. She immediately allowed her hands to hover over Kagome's body still in Gwendal's arms and closed her eyes to focus her healing maryouko on the young woman. But after a few moments she opened her eyes in surprise and gasped. "She's poisoned!"

"It's the dagger," Ken replied, paling as he remembered another trait the dagger had. "It poisoned her blood and it's draining her of her miko powers!"

"But what kind of poison is it?" Gisela looked back at the bespectacled soukoku. "I must know in order to cure her!"

"It's a poison made in Earth," Ken answered grimly, trying to think. "Let's try to heal it with maryouko."

"Gisela, what do you think you're waiting for, girl?" Gunter's voice made the dark green haired girl glance over at her father. "Go on and heal Lady Kagome!"

"O-of course!" Gisela stuttered before putting shaking hands over Kagome's wound to start healing it but was taken aback when she felt that uncomfortable oddity in her blood again. Getting serious now and forgetting her embarrassment, she turned to Nikola. "I'll need a ro—"

"Yes, please come this way!" Nikola shuffled off towards the stairs before Gisela could finish her sentence, her countenance pale but she was determined to help.

Lady Edda nodded at her son as he passed her by and started keeping the guests distracted and away from the incident while outside, Lord Delchias and Hubert took the still unconscious Koritsu to the castle dungeons.

"You guys, get me some hot water from the kitchens and my bag from the saddles! _Hurry_!" Gisela yelled at the maids who stiffened at the order before realizing they were being sent off on an errand.

"Yes, Miss!" Effee cried out before running off for the stables while Doria, Sangria and Lasagna scurried to do Gisela's other bidding.

Ken walked along with the others, occasionally glancing at Kagome's face set protectively against Gwendal's chest. The way he was holding her, now that he was close enough to see it, made Ken raise a brow. Curious, he looked up and almost stopped at the expression on Gwendal's face.

The look on Lord Gwendal von Voltaire's face was full of such desperate fear that he had never seen him display before. Ken doubted anyone has _ever_ seen him in such a state and would bet one could count the times when the Mazoku lord allowed himself to fall so completely off guard. So open and wounded and very, very vulnerable… Like he had also ingested the poison taking away the life of the young woman he was holding so tightly in his arms…

Nikola pushed a pair of large wooden doors open to reveal a luxury suite bedroom with a large four poster bed where Gwendal carefully (and reluctantly) set Kagome down. She was still unconscious but she was now starting to thrash in pain and she was sweating profusely.

Shippou and Yuuri were immediately by her side, the fox kit burying his face into her hair and Yuuri holding onto her left hand. Gisela moved to the right side and started trying to push through a larger amount of maryouko onto her patient. Everyone else stood away but avidly watched.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, Gisela almost dropped to the bed in exhaustion, sweat beading on her forehead and her expression almost panicked. "Your Majesty, it's no use! My powers won't work on her! It's like something in her body is rejecting my maryouko!"

"WHAT!"

"Just as I was afraid of," Murata sighed in frustration taking steps beside Gisela and helped her stand. "A miko's dark power would reject outside interference once it enters a victim's body and this dosage is more than the usual since it was made by a dozen priestesses out for her soul that day we took her away from Sengoku Jidai!"

"What do you mean?" Yuuri breathed, still desperately clutching at Kagome's hand. When Murata didn't answer quick enough, he started to yell. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

"I mean the only way to get that poison out of her soul is for her to purify it from herself!" Ken yelled back before calming back down again. "If she doesn't…"

"NO!" Shippou shouted in denial and hugged Kagome around the neck as he cried. "Mama! Mama, come back! Don't leave me again! Don't leave me!"

"You're kidding, right?" Yuuri laughed nervously, denial written all over his face. It was obvious the full danger Kagome was in right now wasn't sinking in yet but his smile was beginning to falter. "You can't mean she's dying… Because she _can't_ die, Murata, you _know_ she can't."

"…I'm sorry…"

"What about the Shikon?" Yuuri pleaded with the bespectacled soukoku, panic now replacing his earlier forced smile as he saw how serious Murata was. "Can't it _do_ something? _Anything_! Kagome's protecting that thing with her body surely it must have _some_ sort of concern for its guardian!"

"The Shikon no Tama is merely an object now it's not even alive anymore," He told his best friend grimly. "The only way it would be able to help her is if Kagome allows it."

"THIS IS _INSANE_!" Wolfam yelled, his emerald green eyes liquid and his lips trembling as a sobbing Greta stuck at his side, surprising Conrad and Hube as well as the maids bringing in the hot water and medicine. It was as though the von Bielefeld prince's attitude towards the Maou's sister took a complete 180. "There's _got_ to be another way! How would she be able to allow the Shikon no Tama to purge out the poison if she's not even _conscious_?"

"That's the dagger's curse," Ken bowed his head, his voice shaking. "If we can only make her listen and wake her up!"

"There _must_ be another way!" Conrad punched the wall beside him in an expression of his agony. "This can't _happen_!"

"Please…" The entire room fell instantly silent at the quiet, hoarse baritone they had not been expecting to hear in all the turbulent emotion wrapping the room around them. They all turned to it's source and Ken thought his heart was going to stop at the look of utterly devastated helplessness on Gwendal's face. "Help her…"

Ken didn't know if anyone else caught it but he saw Gwendal's hands tremble. Seeing one of the most tightly controlled and level headed people he knew so lost and helpless made him lose some of his hope. It felt like the world was about to come to an end. They always depended on Gwendal to be their strength. Hell, even Yuuri found confidence because of the stability the Mazoku lord exuded. But seeing that pillar of strength crumbling right before their eyes was like watching the Titanic sink from the passenger's point of view while still on board the ship.

Yuuri bit his lip to try to keep himself from crying but failed miserably as he stared at his general's uncharacteristically dull blue eyes before turning back to Kagome and hugged her body to him tightly as she lay on the bed and started pouring out his own maryouko into her.

"Your Majesty, no!" Gisela gasped beside the bed. "You don't have the medical training to do that!"

"What is it, Gisela?" Gunter asked his daughter in alarm.

"He's…" Gisela was trying to pry off the Maou from his sister after running over to the Maou's side of the bed. "He's trying to transfuse his maryouko over to Lady Kagome! Without training he could deplete his maryouko and—"

"Oh damn it, Yuuri!" Conrad and Gunter ran over to Yuuri to start pulling him away from Kagome.

"Heika!"

However a bare pulse of maryouko blew them away from the bed and onto the carpeted floor, leaving the soukoku twins untouched.

"Please, Kagome…" he begged her in a voice that seemed torn from his throat, ignoring them all. "Come back...! You can't leave me! You said you're the other half of me; what'll I do if I lose you…?"

His tears slid over her cheek and he glowed blue, pushing as much of his essence into her as he could. "If you lost your soul then take mine…! You can't go… Don't go!"

"Yuuri, stop it!"

"YUURI, YOU IDIOT!"

"Shibuya!"

"Heika!"

"Bocchan!"

"I'm sorry for keeping you here against your will…!" he sobbed into her neck now, still ignoring their shouts. "If I wasn't acting like a jerk and just listened to you it wouldn't have gotten like this! It's my entire fault! I'm so sorry…! Don't leave me!"

Yuuri's power made the figures on the bed glow and no one could come near it. Shippou, who was still clutching onto Kagome's pillow, could only watch in longing as he too shed his tears. The Maou's dark shadow rose on Yuuri's back like the reflection of a demon hovering over Yuuri and Kagome, like a reaper ready to pounce on the soul of the dead.

"Please come back Kagome…" Yuuri's voice was fainter and weaker now and the glow of his maryoukou was starting to recede. Even his hold on Kagome was starting to loosen as he continued to beg to her unconscious form. "If you do I'll do anything that you want and I won't complain… _I swear_… So please… Please… Please…"

And then the dark shadowy form of the Maou's maryouko hovering over the king and his sister faded and Yuuri finally slumped over the bed and on top of Kagome. He was unconscious. And everyone exploded into action.

"_Father_!"

"YUURI!"

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

"Oh Shinou…! Oh _Shinou_!"

"Quick, Gisela, take him off Lady Kagome!"

"Yes, Father!"

"Mamaaaaa!"

They were all surrounding the bed (except Gwendal who had a desolate look on his face), their hands ready to get their king off of Kagome and determine the state of his well being when something unexpected made them stop and draw back, gaining the Mazoku lord's attention.

Kagome was beginning to glow the lightest shade of pink.

It lasted for a few moments only but the occurrence made Ken smirk and tiredly lean against one of the bed's posts in relief.

"You guys heard that right?" Kagome's tired and hoarse voice whispered from within the bed, suddenly making Gwendal perk up, his eyes wide at the sound of her voice. He rushed over towards the rest and pushed Yozak and his cousin away from the four poster to look down at Kagome's pale, tired and smiling face. "Tell him I'm going to hold him to that…"

And then her eyes shut off again and she fell unconscious along with the king. But when they managed to remove Yuuri from her they saw that it was a fitful state of unconsciousness that she fell into now. Gisela's check up confirmed that the poison had been cleaned off of her body.

"Amazing…" the medical officer whispered as she reached for her medical bag to treat and sew the young woman's wounds up. "How…?"

"Looks like it was true," everyone turned to look at the Great Sage who now wore his usual bright smile that told one everything but held a lot. "They really _are_ the other half of each other after all."

/*****/

In Suberera at that moment, a cloaked figure trapped in darkness smirked at the image the mirror in front of her was displaying. It had just confirmed its suspicions that had taken root that day as he watched them from afar at Ichri where it retrieved the dagger from and witnessed Kagome's power for the first time.

So it was true; the priestess of the Shikon no Tama was here along with the jewel. This will make things so much more easier now, all she needed was to lure the priestess and capture her. She would make a worthy sacrifice. Koritsu may have been an idiot but he had his uses.

The firgure's laugh echoed off the walls of it's room, high above a tower as the rain continued outside the once dry, barren land.

Soon... it would finally possess the power of the Shikon no Tama...

/*******/

I hope it was worth it… Tell me what you think! -_-;


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: **Well everyone, Happy Belated Holidays and I am wishing you guys all the luck for this new year! Please forgive me for the lateness of this holiday gift, I wanted to post it just after Christmas but I wasn't satisfied with it. I pray it worth and offer you my humblest thanks for keeping up with this story.

Thank you so much.

**P.S.: **Damn you, Conrad, for having a mind of your own! (You'll know what I mean as you go through this chapter -_-;.)

Himiko: Thank you so much; I am very pleased you like this story he he! (embarassed)

Please enjoy! ^-^v

**Chapter 20**

"Halt! Identify yourself!"

Rolf tried to get his horse under control and stopped it from stomping over the guards stationed at the front of the closed gates of the Brischela's castle. The horse was displeased about stopping in the middle of its run and it was making itself known by snorting violently at the guards even as Rolf kept a tight grip on its reins. It made for a compelling sight against the blood red sunset behind horse and rider.

"I am Lord von Grantz here to see the Maou on urgent business! I command you to let me pass!" he scowled at them.

At hearing his title, both guards sent each other uncomfortable looks before pulling up their swords and crossing them over each other in front of the closed gate firmly. The Mazoku lord could practically see the doubt in their eyes. "Forgive us, sir, but we will need your crest as identification before we let you enter."

Rolf narrowed his eyes at the guards and frowned. He had no time for this. However, he could not fail to notice that security was tighter than he had ever seen in this household and that only meant one thing.

He raised his fist into the air and pointed his knuckles bearing his ring at the guards whose eyes widened at the crest they saw there. The mark of a crouching panda with a salmon in its mouth in front of the Shin Makoku coat of arms. The seal of the von Grantz family.

They dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to the young lord. "Forgive us, my lord, it is just that we were not expecting anyone from the von Grantz family to…"

Ah… no wonder. The history between the Brischella and von Grantz families was a tragic one, leaving wounds too deep to scab over. Although, if they were all honest with themselves then Rolf would have to admit that those wounds were steadily healing the more time passed by with the help of the Maou.

"That's fine, I'm here for the Maou, let me pass." He told them gruffly.

"Yes, my lord!" the older one of the sentries answered before they got up and called for the gates to open.

Rolf rode through the opened gates as soon as he saw it had been pulled back enough to let him through and rushed into the courtyard. As he sped through the property he noted the lack of guests or merriment around him which would have been the norm for a birthday party; this atmosphere was much more suitable for a funeral. He ignored more guards and servants rushing around the castle grounds and threw his horse's reins over to Dorcas when he saw him at the front doors.

"Lord von Grantz!" Dorcas cried in a salute.

"What happened?" he asked the royal castle guard. "Where's the Maou?"

"Inside, Your Excellency!" Dorcas' voice broke; it was obvious that he was under a lot of stress. It merely confirmed the fact that something had indeed happened earlier. "They are currently occupying Lord Hubert's study."

"What's wrong?" the young lord asked again.

At that, Dorcas burst into unmanly tears and sobbed. "It's… it's the Lady Kagome, my lord! She's… she's…!"

At the mention of the soukoku female, Rolf's eyes widened in concern before he burst into action, climbing the stairs two at a time and bursting into the large main doors of the castle much to the surprise of the servants.

_Shinou, please don't let me be too late._

"L-Lord von Grantz!" a blue haired maid he recognized from Blood Pledge Castle squeaked at him. "W-what—?"

"Take me to the Maou!" he ordered. "_Now_!"

"I am sad to say that the Maou is currently indisposed, my lord."

Both the terrified maid and lord tuned around to see Gisela on the threshold of the hall leading into the kitchens and she bowed to Rolf in respect.

Rolf frowned at Gunter's foster daughter before speaking again after a few moments of consideration. "Then where is everybody else?"

Gisela nodded to him and extended her hand towards the wide stairs leading up to the second floor rooms. "Please follow me."

Rolf followed like a hungry hound on her heels. He was led up to the second floor chambers and into a set of heavy double doors where he found the weary looking Lord Hubert and all the Maou's retainers solemnly gathering including Lord Delchias. Gisela entered first, looked on in surprise that Yuuri was among the gathering, and then bowed as Rolf entered before exiting once more, closing the door behind herself once she was outside. The retainers were surrounding the Great Sage and Maou with Gunter standing beside the large desk the soukoku ruler was standing behind, Wolfram and Conrad before the desk, Yozak and Hube leaning against the wall opposite each other and the lords von Wincott and Brischella standing beside the one eyed spy. All of them had solemn, troubled expressions on their faces but the most disconcerting of all was the aura being given off by the Maou who seemed to be angrily facing off with the Great Sage.

"Your Majesty!" he rushed in but was stopped at the tired expression on the soukoku king's face. Rolf resisted the immediate impulse to ask after Kagome and reminded himself forcibly of his duty to the throne. "Forgive me but I just wanted to warn you that the man who claims being the son of Sir Maoritsu of Zorashiya is not what he seems!"

Silence met his words as everyone stared at him. Rolf sweat dropped. This was not the reaction he was expecting.

"Thanks for the heads up, young von Grantz," Yozak smirked at him tiredly but with an angry glint in his bright blue eyes. "But you're a little bit too late on that account."

Rolf blinked and gave the room another glance. It was covered in a rather depressed state and the realization hit him like a ton of lead bricks. He knelt before him on one knee humbly and bowed. "Your Majesty… I beg your forgiveness for not being able to arrive sooner."

"Your aide sent us the message through pigeon mail but the incident was inevitable," Lord Delchias smiled encouragingly at him though he looked a little too pale to be convincing. "He had acted the same time we had started making any precautions."

"We were tricked," Hube said on the other side of the room, his countenance also covered in gray. "We should have known better."

"It is not something we can blame on anyone," Gunter said grimly. "Even though Zorashiya has become a protectorate of Shin Makoku they hardly made any sort of contact with us let alone ask for any of our help. Identifying Sir Maoritsu or any of his family would have been impossible. Trying to meddle in their politics would only be asking for trouble."

"That's true, so stand up, Lord von Grantz," Yuuri smiled wearily at the von Grantz lord as he sat behind the large redwood desk. It looked as though he had had a long day. "No one wanted this to happen."

"Please, what happened…?" Rolf stood up and approached the Maou in concern. "I heard rumors outside about the Lady Kagome! Where is she? May I see her?"

The silence that followed this time was darker and so thick that the young lord had to step back in alarm. Their dark auras made dread course through his veins like ice cold sweat. It felt like stepping on a Sand Bear's trap.

"My Lady Kagome is… indisposed at the moment." Gunter answered for the closemouthed crowd. "An attempt on the princess' life and the timely discovery of it forced Lady Kagome to step in and save her and Elu. She was gravely wounded and almost died because of it due to a lack of assistance."

"_What_?" Rolf exploded, his eyes wide in disbelief before they narrowed murderously. "That bastard…! Where is he? I'll cut his head off!"

As always, Yuuri seemed to pale at the very suggestion but his scowl retained its darkness as he kept on glaring at Murata. "We shouldn't need to go that far, besides there's a much more important matter I want to address." He clenched his fists and retained his scowl at the bespectacled soukoku. "What is going on, Murata? What was that thing coming out of my sister? What was so important about that dagger?"

Rolf stilled, looking from one soukoku to the other. What did he just step into now? Wait a minute. "The dagger? You don't mean…?"

"Got it in one, Your Excellency," Yozak smirked at him. "Jouchan got stabbed by the dagger, our old friend Koritsu had it with all along hidden inside his short sword."

Rolf stared at him, stunned. "What…?"

"Enough."

Rolf was taken aback by the cold steel underneath the voice that shot through the room coming from Gwendal's form and he automatically fell silent.

"Speaking of the dagger at this point is inconsequential," Gwendal continued without turning to face them but his voice was deadly calm. Like a steel edged whip flying in the room. The only one not flinching were the soukoku rulers. Especially Yuuri who scowled in response. "What we need to focus on was the target of the original threat."

"What are you saying?" Yuuri yelled, standing behind the table all of a sudden. "That Kagome isn't as important as Greta's assassination?"

"Greta is obviously being targeted by the king of Suberera to gain full control and be named Duke Zorashiya. Lady Kagome and Elu were merely casualties who were both at the wrong place at the wrong time," Gwendal advised, his tone not even breaking. "Now that the threat to them has passed and the Lady Kagome will survive the attack then we should be practical and focus and what is supposed to be done—"

"But—"

"_As the Maou_," Gwendal's deep, authoritative voice cut off Yuuri's protest like a punch. "You have a duty to your country. A country who will be the first to suffer if you do not get affairs like this resolved. Thre is more to life than your sister's safety so please calm down and do your _job_."

"Well then what do you want me to do?" Yuuri finally cried out in frustration, tears in his eyes as he shouted at Gwendal's back. "This is my _sister_ and she almost _died_ right before my eyes! I'm sorry if I can't be a cold hearted jerk about it like you!"

Rolf blinked at the king. Ever since his appointment as the von Grantz representative, he had never seen his king act so… out of control and dark since that time when he first suggested getting rid of the Lady Kagome. Of course he had never witnessed Yuuri in his early years whenever he would allow his powers to flare out of control but still… To see him like this… To care so much for that one single person… It must be great to be loved by such a man.

"So are you planning to run away?" Gwendal asked in a mocking tone as Yuuri moved towards the door. Yuuri stopped walking and stood stock still. Everyone's eyes darted from him to his general. "Like a dog with its tail between its legs you turn away from everything that's important because of a woman."

Yuuri turned back to him furiously once again. "She's not just a woman, she's my _sister_!"

"A _woman_ who had sacrificed so much to fulfill her duty even though it has never really caused her anything more but pain," Gwendal ignored him. "A woman who is _still_ bearing that dury despite the threat to her life. Do you even have any idea what it would do to us Mazoku if we were burdened with another soul being kept inside ours like that?"

Gwendal turned around to face his stunned king and everyone was taken aback by how obviously coldly angry he was. This was a Gwendal at his most furious and it was all directed at the king. "So stop being a child and act like the Maou that you are! If not for your sake then do it for your daughter's!"

Yuuri was taken aback by his words and Rolf could clearly see that he had forgotten about Greta for that moment, such was his worry over Kagome. Afterwards he had the guiltiest look on his face.

"Aniue!" Wolfram turned to his older brother. "There's no reason to speak to him like that!"

"It's alright, Gwendal's right; please forgive me, everyone, I forgot myself," Yuuri smiled sadly at the blond as he shook his head, his hand covering right eye and his fingers splayed into his tousled hair. He had com directly to meet with them as soon as he woke up. "Kagome… can wait. However Suberera's offenses have been growing of late and we need to think of something to make them stop without resorting into an all out war."

Gunter smiled at him and bowed. "We understand, Your Majesty."

Delchias followed suit. "Wherever Your Majesty leads, we will follow."

Yuuri gave everyone a tired smile. "Thank you. For now we should strengthen our defenses and make sure no more assassination attempts would threaten the life of the princess. Gunter, I will count on you to get started on the letters we will send to the other ten nobles to advise them of the situation."

"Of course! I will do my best." Gunter cried out as he gazed adoringly at the king.

"I will leave the rest of the castle's security to the rest of you," Yuuri sent Conrad a look. "Don't let your guard down; we don't want any more surprises."

Conrad gave him his usual refreshing smile and bowed. "Of course, Heika."

"Murata," Yuuri now turned towards the other soukoku who was leaning his hip against the large redwood desk in the room with his amrs folded over his chest. "I want to know what you think about the situation."

Rolf turned his eyes over to the Great Sage and found the bespectacled soukoku's eyes hidden behind the glare of his lenses and looking away from the rest of them as though he were thinking of something else.

"I think it's kind of obvious," he said, still not looking back at the Maou, his goofy smile missing from his face. "The man was vocally declaring Zorashiya as Suberera property."

"Arrogant fools!" Rolf fumed, steaming. "I will never forgive them!"

"It seems that way," Conrad nodded to him. "From what little we have gathered after… the incident, it is apparent he is definitely acting under someone's influence."

"But not under the Suberera king."

Ken's words made everyone turn to the soukoku sage all at once.

"What do you mean, Murata?" Yuuri asked, his brows crinkling.

Ken was as solemn as ever as he stared hard at nothing in particular, obviously thinking. "Koritsu talked about the Suberera king as though he were a nuisance rather than a benefactor. This would lead me to believe he is working for someone pretending to support their king. "

"But if that were true then wouldn't attacking the Maou be much more beneficial than attacking the princess?" Lord Hubert asked, confused.

"Zorashiya and Suberera's internal politics have never really been open to us since we were reluctant to come between them," Ken replied. "They have their own personal relations with each other and I believe Lord von Voltaire knew that meddling with their internal affairs would only produce political problems for us."

Gunter nodded. "Gwendal knew that if we dug too deep into Zorashiya's affairs it would produce discontent on the House of the Duke of Zorashiya and they will think we are trying to invade. We were trying to give them as much freedom as possible to move as they see fit and maintain control of their politics the way _they_ want to control it."

Yozak frowned. "While we were travelling across human country we have heard of rumors that the House of Suberera is pressuring Zorashiya into denouncing Greta as Duchess."

"That's absurd!" Gunter pounded his fist into the table. "Zorashiya belongs to Greta! They have no right to it!"

"But I heard the Lady Kagome telling Koritsu as we travelled here that Suberera's king is a candidate to the Duchy since he is the late Duchess' elder brother. If they take Greta out of the equation then Suberera would be free to invade Zorashiya by right of blood and we would have no say in the matter unless we wish to alienate our human allies." Conrad said. "Could that have been their goal?"

"It's possible," Lord Delchias nodded; his thumb and forefinger cupping his chin. "From what I've heard of the Suberera king Rashi it would not have been unheard of. He had the gall to order Sir Hube's eye mercilessly taken when he was recruited by Small Shimaron during that whole fiasco with the End of Land box."

"Greta has nothing favorable to say about her relatives either although she doesn't really say much," Wolfram agreed. "Although she was taken to live there during the course of Zorashiya's civil war she was never given any sort of affection or attention since she was no threat. She regards it as a place of sadness."

"If anything, they would have treated her as a hostage rather than a relative." Hube nodded. "It was the reason she would come to me while I was held prisoner and the reason she accompanied me and stayed away from them even though she originally planned to assassinate His Majesty for their affection."

"So they think of her as a threat now, then." Yuuri narrowed his eyes as he stared at the nothingness in front of him. "It would explain the sudden assassination attempt."

"We should post guards for Greta, then." Wolfram announced fiercely. "I am not letting those animals hurt my daughter!"

"Then it is settled," Yuuri stood up, looking tired and older than his original 19 years. "Since Kagome needs time to recover I hope you won't mind if we stayed for a bit longer until she is well enough to travel, Lord Hubert."

"Of course I won't mind," the baron bowed respectfully to the soukoku Great Sage. "Not only would it be an honor for the Maou and the Great Sage themselves to stay at my humble abode but Her Ladyship risked her life to save my grandson. Letting you stay here to recover is the least that I can do. My entire household is at your disposal."

"We are very honored." Yuuri bowed his head slightly at the older Mazoku. "Please take care of me and mine, Lord Hubert.

"As for the rest of you, please rest," Yuuri turned to the others in the room. "I need to speak with Murata. Alone."

Wolfram and Gunter looked like they were about to protest they were silenced when Gwendal started to walk past them in his usual snappy, dignified gait. "We will await your further decisions in the morning. Goodnight."

Everyone stared after him silently in his wake. It was a while before anyone broke the stillness at all and it was through a collective sigh of relief that allowed everyone to ease the stifling silence.

"He's probably furious that someone like Koritsu was allowed to run around without supervision at all and that everything happened under his watch was another slap in the face," Gunter sighed heavily. "Knowing Gwendal he must be feeling guilty that all of this happened under his very nose. It is a heavy blow to his pride considering his reputation. But what truly impresses me is the way handles it. As expected of the von Voltaire lord."

Hube nodded, still frowning after his cousin. "He's always been the responsible sort, taking everything so seriously."

"You're one to talk." Yozak snorted at his friend.

Hube sent him a glare.

"I've never seen him so angry before when he tried to attack the barrier around Kagome earlier," Wolfram shook his head in disbelief and awe. "He's been so silent since we left Kagome alone but I could still feel his rage around me…"

"I guess I would be angry if this happened to me as well. That man tricked us expertly; and to try something like assassinating the princess under our very own noses." Lord Delchias murmured loud enough for his companions to hear. "It was more than a blow to his pride; he must have been furious that someone would want to harm Greta."

Everyone nodded, knowing how fond the absent lord was of the little human girl.

"True, that boy is that type; takes after his father. And if the Lady Kagome had not been there…" Lord Hubert shook his head. "My grandson and the princess would not have survived it."

"Gwendal is a truly a good man," Yuuri smiled at them all. "I wouldn't what to do without him here."

Everyone smiled at him in response before Lord Hubert bowed. "Well then, Your Majesty, we will leave you to conclude your business with the His Holiness; please inform us if there is anything you need."

Everyone filed out of the room, Rolf the last one to leave. He was about to close the door when he heard Yuuri's voice again from the other side.

"What the hell is going on, Murata?"

Someone sighed; Rolf knew it to be the Great Sage. He seemed reluctant to answer.

Yuuri didn't seem to care. "That pink thing inside her, that was the Shikon no Tama, wasn't it?"

"…Yes it was."

"And that white thing forming around it… was her soul?"

"…I'm afraid so—"

"Then why didn't you tell me it can do _that_ to her?"

"Are you listening to yourself?" Ken shot back. "It's not as if she was keeping it a secret and you know it. I think you're just looking for someone to blame because you couldn't stop it from happening."

"What did you—"

"Stop blaming yourself," the Great Sage just cut him off. "You can't keep on doing that; it wasn't even you fault."

"Yes it is," Yuuri sounded like he was crying. "If I didn't bring her here—"

"If you hadn't brought her here she would have died back in the Feudal Era," Murata sighed. "Besides, there's no point in blaming you. She was the one who decided she wanted to help you. She was the one who decided to face the danger when she saw Greta was about to her hurt. Seriously, would you have acted differently if your roles had reversed?"

"…"

"I thought so."

"…So what do I do?" Rolf blinked; never had he heard the Maou sound so… lost. "I feel useless just watching her take on the world on her own. And instead of helping, my status here is only making her position worse. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Maybe you should try asking her once she wakes up?" Ken's kind voice answered the lost query. "I'm sure she'll point you to the right direction, like always."

"…Yeah… I guess…"

Rolf frowned and contemplated the answer as he stepped away quietly away from the door. So lords are allowed to feel lost and unsure? He had always thought lords knew what to do before anyone else did. It was the reason he often felt insecure in his inherited title. He never expected to inherit since he never really felt sure about anything. Of course he could make the necessary decisions when push came to shove but never in the way he had seen Lord von Voltaire or the Great Sage or the Maou do.

With such dignity and assurance that he was loathed to second guess them. While he often second guessed himself…

"Ah, Lord von Grantz."

Rolf blinked, startled out of his thoughts and saw that the only other person in the hallway with him was none other than the head of the Brischela family, Lord Hubert. His warm amber eyes twinkled as the older Mazoku smiled at him.

"O-oh! Excuse me I was just—"

"Lost. You must be tired," the older lord said as Rolf tried to recover. "Please stay the night, Lord von Grantz."

Rolf couldn't stop himself from stuttering. "N-no, it's fine! I can leave tonight and—"

"The roads are treacherous at this time of night and I am sure His Majesty would want to know that you are safe. He might also wish to ask you questions about the prisoner once he wakes up as well."

"Umm…" Rolf looked trapped. He had never thought that there would come a time when he would have to spend the night in the lodgings of a Brischella. But then again he had already thrown his pride away the moment he understood that the Maou and Her Ladyship were in danger and rode up here as though the hounds of Sousho were after him. But what should he do now? How should he act? Would he be injuring his Cousin Adelbert's pride by accepting Brischella hospitality? Did he have the luxury to forgive?

"Please," Lord Hubert then said with a bow as though reading his mind. "It would be our honor to have you with us, Your Excellency."

Rolf blinked. It was no secret that the Brischella family, although lesser nobles, had great pride. And for the head of that family to lower their head to anyone would only mean and extreme act of humility. His Maou had always forgiven; but how can he forgive a sin which was not his to forgive?

And then again, who was he to bear a grudge that was not his to bear…?

He mentally gave his head a shake; he would not betray his cousin but then again the Maou may have need of him tomorrow. And travelling through the darkness would just be too troublesome

"I humbly decline your hospitality," Rolf answered with a bow of his own towards the older Mazoku. "I will camp outside the castle walls along with my men."

For a moment Lord Hubert merely blinked and stared at him… before his lips spread into a sad but understanding smile. "As you wish. Then please allow me to escort you back there."

The feeling of guilt engulfing his heart made Rolf like he had done something terribly wrong but he ignored this. He was von Grantz and it would dishonor his cousin if he accepted anything from the family of the man who had robbed Adelbert of his fiancé.

He followed the old lord down the wide and long corridors of the old castle. Not as old as the von Grantz ancestral seat since his family has been in the Makoku since Shinou's time and the Brischela family was established much later than that, but still quite impressive and rich with culture. They were passing a great hallway and turning to walk up some stairs leading to the ground level of the castle when something caught his eye. It was a dimly lit corridor on the other side of the turn they were about to take and under the small torchlight almost extinguished was the tall form of Lord Gwendal von Voltaire.

He was standing with his broad back against a pair of double doors, his hands settled calmly on the top of his sword's hilt as its tipped sheath firmly lodged on the floor. Although he was all tense lines and alertness, there was an expression on his usually stoic face that made Rolf stop and stare.

It was easy to see to anyone with eyes that the great lord was… sad.

The strawberry haired lord just had to stop and stare at the scene. Gwendal looked like a fallen angel exiled to eternally guard the doors of heaven forever but never allowed to enter them himself. It was the first time he had ever seen the dark lord look so open. What would be causing such a thing? And what was behind that closed door that he had to guard it so?

"Ah, Gwen," Lord Hubert suddenly called out, startling Rolf halfway into a heart attack. "I can have one of my men guard Lady Kagome's rooms. Why don't you rest? You have used much of your maryouko trying to save her earlier. It would not do if you fell into weakness."

Like a fallen drape the dark haired lord's expression suddenly closed off and Rolf had to stare at the complete 180 his expression turned when he closed up his more vulnerable emotions. "I am fine, Uncle. I will stay."

"Lady Kagome is sleeping there?" Rolf asked eagerly, hope lighting his face. "May I see her?"

The sudden whistle of metal against leather sang into the air before Rolf found himself at the end of a very sharp sword, the dolphin chain dangling at the motion and catching what faint light there was. Rolf had to hold very, _very_ still.

"You will see her only when she allows it," The dark Mazoku lord stated icily, looking him in the eye, the threat to his life evident in their Prussia depths. "Anyone other than the Maou and who he does not allow here is forbidden from entering this room. Defying this will cost the offender their lives."

Rolf paled. "B-but Lord von Voltaire—"

"Stand down."

"But I am—"

"Stand. _Down_. Lord von Grantz."

"Gwendal!" Hubert came between Rolf and his nephew in law's sword point, frowning at the younger Mazoku. "What are you doing?"

"Fulfilling my duties as I should have in the first place." The taller Mazoku bitterly answered.

"Gwendal, it was not your—"

"Good_night_, Uncle." Gwendal curtly bade him before going into his attention position with his hands plated firmly on the top of his sword as though he were leaning on a cane. "We will speak more tomorrow, Lord von Grantz."

Lord Hubert shook his head and nodded to Rolf, mutely telling him to follow after him to which the younger lord acquiesced to with fearful eagerness. As they left, Rolf looked back once and caught a glimpse of the anguish on Gwendal's face before the corridor hid him from his sight.

It was not until they had reached the castle grounds making their way over to Rolf's mem who were starting to set up camp for the night outside the castle wallks that Lord Hubert filled the silence.

"I apologize for my nephew," the old lord started sounding weary despite the smile on his face. "Gwendal has always taken all his duties too seriously so having Lady Kagome wounded like she did under his watch must have been a bitter blow to his pride and self worth. It's been a while since I've seen him react like this."

Rolf remembered how differently Gwendal treated the soukoku female as they were travelling back to Shin Makoku and though he did not go out of the way to talk to her, the red haired lord had always found the dark Mazoku's blue eyes following her every movement like a hawk to its prey. It almost unnerved him the way Gwendal would glare at Alford whenever the wandering hero spoke to the Maou's twin and had only been able to breathe in relief when Alford and Adelbert decided to go back to Suberera and attain more information about their supposed enemy.

Rolf hesitated before he finally blurted out. "It's almost like he's in love with her!"

Lord Hubert blinked at him before stopping to stare at him incredulously. "That is not possible."

It was now Rolf's turn to blink. "What do you mean?"

The older lord's gaze turned sad before he lowered his head and bowed politely to Rolf before making his excuses. "I will see you in the morning, Your Excellency."

Rolf stared after the old lord and frowned, wondering what that was all about. He had always thought the Voltaire family and the families that had a direct link to them were a tad bit mysterious and his scholarly side was intrigued. What could Lord Hubert possibly mean by Gwendal not possibly falling in love?

How weird.

/*****/

Gwendal tried breathing in and out deeply, trying to calm himself as much as he possibly could. He needed to control himself; he can't go on like this. It was as though he were experiencing an out of body phenomenon where he knew what he was doing but couldn't stop himself. It was the first time reason had ever failed him. It was the first time he had fully lost control of himself.

But he _couldn't_ calm down.

Gwendal's eyes widened when he saw that his hands, still resting on his sword's hilt were shaking. He lifted the right one and stared at it hard before using it to run his fingers through his hair in abject misery.

Shinou what was happening to him? Why was he so scared that something irrevocable might have happened to Kagome? Wasn't His Majesty and even his brothers been in life threatening situations before? He himself have tasted battle and had never truly felt the meaning of this level of fear. But the thought of never seeing her again… of her presence disappearing from this world left him bereft. As though all light and air had been sucked into a bottomless dark pit and nothing will ever be whole again.

A sound, faint as a winging bird's passing suddenly made him stiffen. It came from the room behind him, alerting his soldier's instincts. Afraid she was in some sort of danger, Gwendal entered Kagome's room immediately and adjusted his eyes to see in the dimness.

"Who's there?"

Nothing.

The room was empty except for its furnishings and the only occupant in the bed. The children had to be forcibly dragged out to let her rest. The only light that lit the room came from the fireplace that kept it warm.

Since the last time Gisela had declared her out of danger, this was the first time he had allowed himself to enter her room; he was too guilty to look at her. He felt as though he had let her down. Also he did not want to deal with the odd looks people were sending his way for losing all composure and control. He did not want to start explaining himself over things even he cannot understand himself.

"…Nhn…"

That vague sigh made him blink and look towards the four poster bed where she lay. Was she awake?

"Kagome…?" he called out softly but clearly as to not frighten her. "Kagome?"

Another soft, restless sigh… was she dreaming? He hurried over to the four poster bed to see and make sure she was alright. But as soon as he saw her sleeping face, the Mazoku lord stopped.

She was alone in the large four poster bed; sleeping like a goddess in her moment of rest. Something in his chest twisted and it as closely followed by a curious fluttering in his stomach. He told himself he was worried and it was natural.

"…yash…"

Gwendal frowned before leaning closer. Maybe she wanted some water?

The dark haired Mazoku hesitated before he sat at the edge of the bed. He could see her moving her lips but still couldn't make out what she was saying. So he leaned down, his brows crinkling in concentration trying to figure out what she was trying to say until he could feel her breath on his cheek. He swallowed as the curious feeling in his stomach worsened but he ignored it and focused on what Kagome was trying to say.

And when he did, he wished he never found out.

"Inu… yasha…"

Gwendal froze, his breath stopping.

"Inu… yasha…?" she whispered again.

Gwendal was arrested by the pure longing in her voice and suddenly, he hurt. Like someone just pushed a knife through his chest. He forgot to breathe even as the intense desire to find and destroy this Inuyasha person filled his mind for making her say that name with so much emotion. He didn't know what to do.

What was it about that Inuyasha person that she would love him like this? From what he heard from Yuuri he was undeserving of her affections. But then again can he say with complete confidence that he was any better? He with the ever tainted soul?

No… Of course not…

He started to pull away to go back to his post and call Gisela to see if the medical officer could offer Kagome some sort of relief but he was stopped when, all of a sudden, Kagome's eyes slowly opened and dazed, unseeing ebony orbs stared straight into his soul.

For a moment he froze, afraid she would scream. He was, after all, in a very suspicious position with her. He had his hands supporting him on either side of her head their chests were almost touching. He waited for her to scream and slap him but… he was startled when a pair of soft hands caught both sides of his face. "Please… don't go…"

The words so sincere… so full of hopeful pleading that he was defenseless against the hopeless, boundless, pitiful longing that started filling up his very soul.

She tugged at his face, she was as weak as a kitten and he would have been able to release himself from her grasp but he didn't want to. He felt like a puppet on strings as he stared into her pained, longing eyes. He made a last ditch effort to get away but then she closed her eyes and kissed his parted lips softly…

"I love you… so much…"

And that was the moment he had become a puppet.

"Don't… leave… me…"

Her puppet…

The moment her soft, cool lips met his burning mouth he was lost. Duty, pride, morals were lost to him and all he could do was part his lips and let her do whatever she wanted with him.

She took his lower lip into her mouth and softly gave it a suck and a light swipe of her tongue… as though she were eating a particularly juicy fruit with obvious relish. Each kiss was so sincere, so pure that he couldn't stop himself from responding. Gwendal couldn't stop the quiet, wanting moan from escaping from his throat and before he could start thinking again, he responded with hungry, gentle kisses of his own.

It felt like he had wanted this forever. He couldn't stop returning her kisses. He could feel her need for him… Like he was all that mattered to her.

They weren't violent or forceful or demanding. Each kiss was passionate but tender… as though Kagome were afraid of being rejected by him.

He could feel every nuance of feeling, of passion, of pain in her kisses. Every piece of longing and wanting and the feeling that she would do anything for him. He could feel through the kiss that he was everything she ever wanted and she would do anything for him… even give up her soul…

Gwendal couldn't think. He was lost in her longing, in her desire… in her pleas for him to love her back… His senses were locked out by the intense feelings and all he could think of was satisfying her. To take advantage of what she was offering him.

And then she kissed him softly one last time and settled back down on the bed, her eyes closed and smile sweet and satisfied while her hands started slipping from his face but Gwendal continued to trail heated kisses down her neck until he was sucking gently on the skin of her collar wanting more. Oh so much more…

"Stay with me… Inuyasha…"

The dark Mazoku froze and raised his face up to look back at her. She was asleep, although now she wasn't bothered by her dreams. He shot up off the bed as though he were burned by a painful kind of fire. He was breathing heavily and he felt like his heart was going to be torn in two. And yet she kept on sleeping. Now that she wasn't saying that bastard's name she was breathing normally, peacefully again. As though the idea of having the hanyou kissing her would save her from anything.

The dark haired Mazoku lord wanted to break the wall behind him as he backed off and slid against the nearest one his body could reach. He had been used! His mind repeated her longing whispers… her pleas with that hanyou in her mind.

'_I love you… so much…'_

Why is this breaking his mind…?

'_Don… leave… me…'_

He was going insane!

'_Stay with me… Inuyasha…'_

Why is this breaking his heart…?

He placed his hands over his bowed head and threaded his fingers through his hair in sheer frustration. He wanted to explode right then and there. She had no right to do this to him.

_She was nothing to him!_

Gwendal practically ran out of the room, still breathing heavily, his large form shaking. He closed her door as quietly as he could before resting his back against it.

_Then why…?_ He asked as he hugged himself tightly, trying to stop himself from shaking. _Why did he want to go back in there, kiss her and never stop…?_

"Your Excellency…?"

His body and his still adrenalin soaked blood acted before his mind could even take in the situation. For the second time that evening his sword sang as it cut into the air and nearly severed his cousin's head off his shoulders.

Hube stood still, calm despite his larger cousin's nervous tension. "I see you have not recovered yet."

Gwendal scowled and put his sword down again, assuming the cold, stern mask of authority that had served him well all these long years since he assumed the position of lord in place of his father with more than a little difficulty. "What do you want, Hube?"

"…"

Gwendal scowled. "If you have nothing to say, then leave me."

"…I was concerned," Hube admitted after a while and Gwendal could feel his eye boring into his back and tried very hard not to squirm. "You left so abruptly that I got worried."

"Hn." Was the only thing he could think of saying.

A troubled look passed across Hube's face. "Are you alright? Your brothers are worried as well."

Gwendal started to feel the beginnings of shame hook into his conscience and he almost choked as he asked. "What did they think… about my actions, I mean."

"They all think your pride was hurt because of this incident and the others agree. Everyone knows of your devotion to duty," Hube peered closely at his cousin before continuing. "But I think…"

Gwendal scowled at his hesitation, refusing to look back at him. He was in no mood to play the guessing game today. "If you have nothing to say, then leave me."

"…Your Excellency— no— for this I should address you as… Cousin," at this address, Gwendal spun around to stare at his cousin incredulously; it had been so long since Hube had called him that. "Because I will need to be frank with you."

Gwendal was a little wary but he composed himself and gave the other man a slight nod to tell him to continue. Perhaps he needed Hube's presence to get a hold of himself. To take his mind off softly scorching kisses filled with want and longing that his soul seemed to _need_ to return. "Go on."

"I know how much you hate beating around the bush so I'll just go on right ahead and say it," Flame blue eyes met Prussia and held for that moment in time like a collective breath before it was released. "Do you… have feelings for the Lady Kagome…?"

At that, Gwendal's eyes widened in shock even as he turned around to fully face the other dark haired Mazoku. He was so surprised he didn't even know what to say. It was a while before he was able to even form his words. His heart pounded heavily in his chest as he tried to control his uneven breathing. "W-what are you talking about? Stop saying such foolish things; you are speaking about the Maou's sister! Spreading such lies about her is disrespectful!"

"I don't see anything wrong about loving her; I think she needs to be loved in a way that fellow she calls Inuyasha to love her. You are a good man and so—"

"_Enough_."

His snap surprised the both of them and Gwendal quickly turned away in an effort to hide any emotion that might have been visible on his face. He was breathing hard and he had to suppress the urge to clench his chest through his thick great coat in an effort to ease the ache that suddenly made him want to stop breathing.

_Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe…?_

Inuyasha…

_Inuyasha_!

Why did that name make him so furious?

It was the name of the half demon she fell in love with. The name of the half demon she's _still_ in love with. The hanyou she was picturing even as she kissed _him_.

He didn't want to hear that name ever _again_.

He wasn't deaf. He had heard Kagome call that name out every time she slept while on the way back to Shin Makoku. He had seen her tears whenever she dreamt of him and knew for a fact that he would never like the hanyou who had done this to this wonderful person. He just couldn't understand how such a smart girl like her could love someone who caused her so much pain. It was like his mother loving Dan Hiri Weller all over again. She had shed more tears for that human than any other man put together outside her children. Even his late father.

He never thought he would hate another being as much as he hated Dan Hiri… he guessed he was wrong.

"I'm sorry it's just that… I've been noticing it," Hube continued, taking advantage of his silence. "Since we met at Cabalcade there was something in the way you looked at her that reminded me of the way I felt for Nikola… back then when I couldn't accept the fact that I was falling in love with a human."

His words made Gwendal stiffen and go very, _very_ still.

"As you know, my pride back then was legendary," Hube started chuckling self deprecatingly as he continued speaking, looking away as he became lost in bittersweet memories, oblivious to Gwendal's sudden stillness. "I've experienced countless sleepless nights agonizing over how beautiful her smile was… how good she made me feel… and later on how I would suffer whenever any man would so much as touch her despite myself…

"Loving her was difficult for me to accept but gradually she made me surrender; until I knew I couldn't live without her… And when I decided she was better off without me and hid the Mateki with her I thought I was ready to die. Because the fact that we weren't allowed to be together back then was a sign telling me that I had no right to be happy. And I wasn't going to drag her down with me. I was set to die alone…

"But she changed that… She chose me and— it took some time— but I am very happy she did," Hube's mouth twitched a little in a tender smile as he recounted his feelings fro his wife. "And whenever I look back now and think of those memories and evaluate when I started loving her I realized I had loved her from the start…"

Gwendal scowled, clenching his fists tightly, willing himself not to flush. The feelings his cousin was describing were beginning to become painfully familiar. "What are you getting at?"

Hube met his eyes squarely before answering. "You look at her like you are burning from the inside out… You act gruff and distant but I have witnessed you treat her like she was fragile glass while we journeyed to the human country and back. I have put it aside after we came back to the castle when you started surrounding yourself with your work but when I saw you on that clearing earlier… Cousin, it was like you have gone mad…! Tell me, wasn't it because you… love her?"

Gwendal swallowed, refusing to face the younger man. Remembering how he lost control back there was truly unpleasant and he did not want to be reminded of it.

"Then you are wrong; she is my friend and my Maou's sister; I have failed in the task of protecting her," he told the dark spy curtly as he clenched his fists tightly. "And I will make sure that the bastard that dared hurt her will pay a thousand fold for it. 'Feelings' have nothing to do with this."

Hube stared at his back solemnly. "Are you sure? I have never seen you treat Annisina this way—"

"Of _course I'm sure_."

"…Or are you just afraid to love her because… you are still blaming yourself for my sins…?" Hube continued, noting the tension in his voice.

Gwendal glared at him. Warning him about continuing.

Hube went on, not missing a beat because of his own fears but wary all the same. "I have always admired you, even when we were children. You were older than me by a handful of years but you were already so respected; you always knew what to do and you were superior to everyone else in whatever you did. On the battlefield you were a legend. Your campaigns were reviewed in the military academy and your strength has awed your soldiers even now old or young alike. And for that I envied you.

"I was so eager to prove myself to everyone else; chase after you and I hungered for glory… To conquer and prove my worth…" Gwendal swallowed, the lump in his throat, wishing Hube would stop. To spare him the weight of being reminded of another case of guilt that had always preyed on his conscience. But Hube kept on, already deep in his reminiscences. "And because of this I was the reason Suzanna Julia died."

Gwendal's fist slammed into the stone wall beside Hube's head and met wide flame blue eyes with furious Prussia blue ones. How dare Hube broach that subject! How dare he bring up the reason for Julia's death. That he was the cause of so much suffering for the people who are important to him…?

"Enough! This has nothing to do with that!" he growled quietly, trying to stay calm.

"But—"

"Stop it." Gwendal finally snapped fists clenched. "You are mistaken."

"…Cousin, I am just afraid…" Hube hesitated but then continued softly. "I was afraid you had been holding back from falling in love all this time because you feel you have no right to be happy…"

A heavy silence stretched between the cousins at the admission and Gwendal had to gulp in large amounts of air to get his composure back. Not even his mother knew of the deep guilt he held over Julia's incident. Only Hube knew since he admitted it to him that last day when he visited him in his cell to inform him of his sentence.

Gwendal took a deep breath again, his chest twisting and hurting but his face remained stern. Of course… How could he have forgotten he was not worthy of being happy. Not until Conrad became happy first. He had no right to drown in a woman's kiss when he had such a guilt to bear.

"I am content," Gwendal finally spoke and broke the silence between them at last after a few moments. "You do not have to worry, I do not believe in love; at least not in the kind you and my mother are experiencing. I find such an emotion unproductive and bothersome and will only make things in this country complicated if I allow myself to feel them. In my heart there is nothing to love but Shin Makoku and my family and I will do anything for my family and friends and especially my country." He then started to turn, pass by the one eyed spy and walk away. "I have no use for love. I will never allow myself to be so vulnerable. I cannot afford to let that happen. I will never fall in love."

"Gwendal…"

"Go back to your wife and son," Gwendal told him softly as he walked away from Kagome's room and his crestfallen cousin. "Go back to your perfect family… You are relieved of duty for tonight. Never bother me with this foolishness ever again."

He had waited until he was in his own guest room this time and fell in bed, spread eagled and stared up at the dark green canopy that was tied over the four poster bed before throwing an arm over his tired eyes.

His free hand touched his lips were Kagome's lips still burned and the pain in his heart intensified. Against his better judgment, he closed his eyes and blissfully licked the taste of her still on his mouth and relished it. Want coursed through his veins and he ended up curling up on his bed hugging the pillows to himself and picturing her there with him… peacefully asleep and safe in his arms and a bittersweet hunger enveloped his entire being.

No matter how good she felt she could never be his… he didn't deserve her… He can't have her…!

The lost little boy in him who had matured far too quickly the moment he inherited the title of Lord von Voltaire raised its hand at the back of his head and petulantly pointed out that no matter what he told himself, he could not deny that she felt good. That he wanted more… That Hube was right and he—

"No," he whispered to himself as though he were a mantra. "I don't love her, I don't love her, I don't love her, _I DON'T LOVE HER._"

It was just a mistake; a one time thing… It was not going to happen again; they were _friends_. He could not allow his desires to violate her like this!

He fell asleep with the scent of lilies of the valley floating around him, lulling him into a rest of pretend warmth that would protect him until the morning… Until he had to wake up to the cold harsh reality in the light of day once more…

/*****/

"What's wrong, Conrad?"

The royal knight started at his Maou's voice and he discovered too late that he had stopped and stared off at the gardens they were passing to get to the Great Hall where emissaries from the ten nobles of Shin Makoku had gathered waiting for an audience with the king.

"I-I'm sorry I'm just…" he stopped, trying to think of a more coherent way to put his feelings into words. "Restless."

"Restless?" Yuuri turned towards him fully, relaxed and open since it was just the two of them in the corridor and they both knew they can be open to each other. "You mean you're tired."

"No, of course not!" the older half Mazoku tried to protest but he was halted by Yuuri's understanding smile.

"It's fine. I've been bothering you these past few nights because I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry."

Conrad wanted to frown. Or at least crinkle his forhead but he responded with one of his refreshing smiles instead. "It was no bother. It was my duty to watch over Your Majesty as you stayed waiting for Her Ladyship to wake up."

Yuuri pouted at him. "Seriously, Conrad, it's been four years! How many times have I told you to call me by the name you gave me, Nazukeoya?"

A genuine smile quirked the edge of Conrad's lip at the exasperation he could clearly hear from Yuuri's voice. "I'm sorry… Yuuri."

At that, the soukoku's smile widened into a warm one. "It's fine. Why don't you go get some rest, Conrad? The Great Hall is just around that corner."

"No, I couldn't possibly—"

"It's fine," Yuuri placed a hand briefly on the knight's broad shoulder with a wry half smile on his face. "Gwendal, Gunter and everyone will be waiting for me around this corner so I'm as good as buried behind a wall; no one could possibly hurt me. I need my knight to be clear headed enough to guard me after this meeting's finished because I can't see any meeting with the emissaries as anything but tedious. You and I are tired so I need you to rest so you can think clearly enough for the both of us."

"Yuuri—"

"This is an order, Sir Weller," Yuuri said sternly before grinning again. "So you stay around here in the gardens or in the forest. I know for a fact that you are the calmest while resting in places like that than in the palace."

Conrad smirked helplessly at the younger man and relented, because he couldn't deny that the long restless past 4 nights with Yuuri guarding over the Lady Kagome, waiting for her to wake up kept him up in his worry as well. It was well and good, his body could handle nights without any sleep but the adrenaline that had kept him going was starting to wane and it was now starting to take a toll on him.

Also, there was something in the air today that made him unexplainably nervous. However his senses and instinct couldn't identify it clearly as to whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. It was… strange.

"Alright," he bowed to Yuuri in respect. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Take your time, Conrad," Yuuri told him as he turned away and rounded the aforementioned corner. "Don't worry, Gwendal will take care of everything."

As soon as Yuuri disappeared, Conrad's smile disappeared remembering his older brother. He would never understand how his brother could do as much as he did and not even lose his good posture. From what he'd witnessed, Gwendal had all the castle's paperwork transported carefully and secretly to the Brischela castle and had worked on them non stop while attending to the missives being sent back and forth from his guard about all the information they could get their hands on about the cult trying to revive Sousho and try to get some evidence on King Rashi of Suberera.

And if that weren't enough, he had also undertaken the care of three rambunctious children who demanded stuffed animal after stuffed animal from him until Nikola had to step in and scold them. The chaos finally melted down on a tolerable level after His Holiness had Yozak rummage through Kagome's yellow backpack for some crayons on one of his trips back to Blood Pledge Castle to get more documents for Gwendal to work on. Now, Kagome's bedroom was practically drowning in colorful get well cards.

His older brother had always been very hard working, it was a trait he admired and respected very much. Without his strength, Shin Makoku would have fallen long ago and it was a testament to Yuuri's trust that he handled most all of the political affairs the Maou cannot understand yet. But lately he seemed different.

It's almost like he was trying to drown himself in work more than usual. Almost like he was trying to… forget something.

He shook his head at the silly thought.

Gwendal was not the type of person who ran away from anything. Wasn't he the one who nagged at him to face his past and become stronger in the face of Julia's death after that incident? But he was too angry to listen back then. The only thing that saved him was Yuuri's birth. Of all of them, Gwendal was the strongest, he should stop worrying over him. He would never allow it anyway.

He turned and allowed his feet to lead him away from the formal gardens. He was surprised when they led him into the forest again. Stopping in front of the large tree with the equally large roots, the royal knight reached out and touched the trunk of the ancient tree lightly and looked up into its branches.

Those branches look comfortable for a little nap.

However, before he could leap up and find a good branch, the rustling of wings made him blink in surprise. He calmed down a bit when he noticed it was just the Kohi. But when he saw how nervous they were acting, he did a double take.

"What's wrong?"

A couple of them landed on the branches and started chattering their teeth at him and pointing towards the general direction of the spot where they found Kagome.

Conrad's forehead crinkled at this, wondering what it could mean before rushing off to see what it was that had them so agitated. When he reached the now decimated clearing he stopped and stared with wide eyes.

Because right before him, her back turned and her thick long mound of raven hair flowing down her back as though she had just gotten up from her bed was none other than Kagome… From what he could see she was barely dressed, what with her wearing a voluminous robe of pearly white silk that was not created to be worn outside this cold hour. The front of the robe was partly open, revealing her bandages and dressings and enough of her smooth, pale chest to be considered indecent. Her sleeves were so long and loose that her fingertips weren't even visible. Lastly her delicate, slightly tanned feet were clad merely in a pair of cloth slippers against the dirty ground. It was obvious that she had just risen from her bed to come directly here.

She was pale… So pale it looked as though she were glowing in that damp, decimated meadow. He thought he would never be able to see anyone glow in the way Julia did but he was wrong… Here was another person who could light up a room just by being in it. Although her face was wreathed with such daunting seriousness.

It looked like she was doing nothing but, when Conrad looked closely, he noticed a faint pink light colliding with the leftover pieces of the shattered dagger. The royal knight jumped when her pink light collided with the dark ones before her powers ate away the dark ones until she had completely purified everything around her. She had a troubled and pained look on her face that made him curious.

The way she was acting reminded him of that time when she looked for Elu and Greta. The day when she got stabbed. The impression of her becoming one with the nature around her prevailed around her. However, that time she got out of her trance she was relaxed; at peace even… Now she looked troubled.

She gently crouched down onto the dirt, obviously minding her injury and reached out for something on the ground. When she held it up Conrad recognized a part of the now purified stone dagger. She then stood up, walked gingerly away from the trench, and a few meters away she repeated the same actions and lifted a glistening piece of metal from the ground.

Metal?

And then Conrad's mind lit up with recognition. Of course; it was a piece of the shattered short sword where the dagger was hidden. She studied them together for a while, sticking and parting them several times and each time she did so, the frown on her delicate looking lips turned darker.

What in the world was she doing limping around and picking up pieces of a past battle that was already won? Was she insane? …Or was she feeling guilty for being able to fall into Koritsu's trap as well? Perhaps he should go up there and comfort her?

But before he could make a move she was already leaving. She was slow moving, probably due to her injuries and he got seriously curious. What would make her move to such an extent even with such injuries with dogged determination? At first, he thought she was just going to go back to the castle and return. But he was proven wrong when she took an unexpected turn that brought her to…

…the dungeons.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

But the guards halted at the sight of the injured young woman, clearly not expecting her to be there.

"L-lady Kagome!" the younger of the guards blinked down at her.

But she ignored them and went straight inside. Both guards couldn't do anything but gawk and then look at each other.

Conrad decided to follow, ignoring Kirara who seemed to have decided to ignore him as well.

"Ah! Your Excellency Conrad!"

"Has someone been here before me?" he asked the guard.

The young Mazoku paled and looked like he was going to be sick but the older one of the guards, obviously a war veteran, spoke for him. "His Excellency Gwendal was here a few hours ago."

Conrad blinked. Why would his brother come here without telling any of them about it? When did he even find the time? And why were they not informed? Didn't they agree to wait for the Round Table to meet first?

He frowned at the guards again, they didn't say anything about Kagome. "And…?"

Now both guards were looking a bit nervous. "W-well the Lady Kagome… just now she—"

"I see," he looked back at the door leading to the dungeons before returning his gaze to the guards. "Don't tell anyone you saw us here."

Now even the older Mazoku was starting to fidget uncomfortably before answering. "Y-yes, sir, but…"

Conrad shushed them with a look before following after Kagome inside the dungeons underneath the Brischela castle. Even though he lost sight of her, he knew there was only one place she could possibly have business with in this damp, dark area.

He started walking as quietly as he could so he would not be detected. He came to a stop when he saw Kagome's back facing the familiar cell at the end of a corridor filled with others just like it. The only thing that made it much more sinister was the heavy breathing coming from inside. He hid around a corner.

"What do you want?" Conrad heard from inside the dark cell and with his trained eyes adjusting quickly in the dark, he was able to make out the huddled figure of the dark skinned man behind the cold metal bars. Conrad frowned wondering why Kagome was in such a place and in such a state? Wasn't she wounded? The last time he saw her she was still unconscious. "Do you think you can just ask whatever it is you want with me? Well you are wrong! Just kill me and get it over with!"

"No," Conrad stayed silent, waiting for her to speak like Yuuri did. About her forgiving the criminal before her and pleading for an explanation as to why he did what he did. He knew Yuuri would do exactly that; it was the kind of person he was. But he was shocked at the next words that came from Kagome's mouth. "For trying to kill two helpless children, death is too good for you."

It seemed as though he wasn't the only one frozen by her calm declaration. It was a while before Koritsu's sneering voice came again. "And are you here to take revenge?"

"I'd love to but it's not my place," Conrad heard Kagome say. "I am very confident that my brother, my friend and their trusted allies will be able to take care of the situation better than I ever can. I don't really belong here so I have right to judge you."

The brown haired royal knight silently leaned against the wall and watched the scene play before him thinking how she was wrong in that comment. She belonged here as much as Yuuri did.

"Then what are you here for?" Koritsu mocked her. "Information? You will get nothing out of me. I will never betray my country!"

"I don't care about Suberera," Kagome calmly told him. "What you people want to do on your own time is entirely your business. Besides, it's not like you can beat Yuuri."

Conrad had to smirk at that. Her loyalty and complete faith in Yuuri was impressive if nothing else.

"The Mazoku's days of ruling over us are numbered! My master will never be defeated!" Koritsu roared at her in a raspy voice. "They will be destroyed!"

"What_ever_, I get it, the 'We-Are-Evil-So-We-Are-Invincible-Speech', yadda yadda yadda," Kagome said impatiently as she settled down to kneel serenely in front of the dark skinned prisoner, surprising the eavesdropping knight and the wounded man with her actions. Conrad could practically hear the confusion in Koritsu's mind. "Trust me I've heard it all before and I really can't care less about it."

"...Then what are you here for?"

The cold breath of silence stretched between the two of them before Kagome broke it with a sigh. "The dagger that was inside your sword was a stolen item from Lord von Grantz, it was the reason why we were in the human country in the first place. I was supposed to trace it and gain his location to bring him back to Shin Makoku.

"We lost it in the battle against the zombies raised during the failed attempt to raise Sousho from the dead. I have been trying to find it with my powers ever since and each time my shikigami would fail. I want to know what your connection to that ritual was because we never noticed you there."

A harsh laugh met her demand and Conrad tightened his hand over the hilt of his sword. Koritsu was being too cocky. If he tried anything with Kagome he would show no mercy.

Conrad could practically see Koritsu smirking. "And what if I don't answer your question?"

But it didn't seem to faze Kagome. "You are dying and in great pain."

Conrad blinked and straightened. Again he peeked into the darkness wondering what she meant by it. But then he noted the rattling breath coming from the cell and his eyes widened. He narrowed his eyes further into the darkness that held their prisoner and his blood froze as his suspicions were confirmed.

The man was black and blue from top to bottom, his left eye was swollen shut and several of his fingers were missing. A leg was twisted in a rather sickening way and it looked as though he had been swimming in his own blood. His nose was broken and his face was so horribly disfigured the knight almost thought he was someone else.

Conrart knew without a doubt who was responsible for this. He never knew his older brother— gruff and gentle lover of all things cute Gwendal— was capable of such carnage. Of course he had heard rumors, his brother was a war veteran, after all, but he had never known the extent of what he had gone through. Was this the taint his older brother always tried to cleanse whenever he knitted his dolls? Because, despite how violent he could be he still felt bad about doing them despite how righteous the reasons?

"It will take more than that bastard Gwendal von Voltaire to kill me-"

"…Before I woke you up; I had my shikigami check on you," she cut him off calmly after being seemingly taken aback by this discovery. "From the way you are now breathing I believe a rib has already punctured one of your lungs… if not treated in the next 2 hours you will drown in your own blood in the most agonizing way possible. Even now your heart is starting to stop. The concussion you just woke up from will put you into shock the moment I let you sleep again and right now the only reason you are able to talk to me is because of the force of your denial.

"I have no houjutsu or majutsu but I have the power to heal you or break you," she continued one, calm but Conrad can find no threat in her words. It was just a casual accounting of what state Koritsu was in and what she can offer. "It's your choice."

"Are threatening me?"

"No," Kagome shook her head at him. "I am offering you a choice."

"What choice?"

"For every honest answer you give me a wound of yours will be healed; if you lie it will become worse, if you refuse, you die." Kagome nodded towards Koritsu's wounds. "Don't you want to be more comfortable?"

"Filthy Mazoku," Koritsu barked at her but there was a note of fear in his voice that satisfied the earthy knight. "You will not trick me with your lies!"

"Do you want a demonstration?"

Conrad watched, a faint prickling at his nape warned him that Kagome's powers were rising this was further confirmed by the faint pink light snaking from her form towards the prisoner, enveloping him in a curling pink smoke. Even as he watched, Koritsu's broken nose was gently healed. The knight's brows shot up. Not even majutsu could heal this quickly. How could she possibly manage such a feat in her condition?

In a few minutes he could hear Koritsu breathing easier. His gasp told Conrad that the man was as impressed as he was.

"This is..." he whispered his awe. "...incredible."

"Do you believe me now?" Kagome asked him softly, still calm.

Koritsu narrowed his eyes at her like a cornered animal trying to assess his hunter. "What do you want to know?"

"That power." Kagome immediately shot. "The one that sealed the dagger; whose was it?"

This questioned intrigued Conrad like nothing else and he found himself leaning forward to listen.

Koritsu sneered at her before answering. "I don't know."

A blast of white light, sharp as a blade suddenly exploded against Koritsu's side and a cry rang through the entire dungeon.

"AWGH!"

Koritsu's side started bleeding. His shocked and pained groans filled the entire dungeon.

"Didn't I tell you not to lie?" was all Kagome asked, still in that calm tone. "Tell me the truth."

"Bitch!" he spat at her and the saliva trailed down Kagome's smooth cheek like a blood speckled tear.

But Conrad did not see a single speck of emotion outside her usual calm. It was amazing. She almost looked like a doll.

"Do you think that power will liberate you?" her soft voice cut through Koritsu's curses like a rose petal falling from above. "Did you think that power will be your light?"

"The master will save us!" Koritsu growled at her through his pain as he nursed his injured hand. "The master will rule Suberera and liberate Zorashiya from the Mazoku!"

"But you're planning to revive an entity like Sousho to achieve that?"

"My master will control him—"

"That kind of power cannot control something like Sousho," she told him, her voice growing passionate now as some of the anguish he had seen on her face earlier started to seep through. "Your master will be fed on once he uses his powers to revive him; food for a higher power that will _end this world_."

"Shut up!" Koritsu shook his head and backed away from her in denial. "I won't listen to a word you say!"

"That power can't save you!" Kagome answered in an almost desperate, pleading voice that vibrated through the chords of Conrad's heart. "It can't save anybody!"

"I said shut up!"

"It will hurt and hurt and consume you until you have _nothing left to give!_"

"LIAR!" Koritsu screamed at her, his voice and face riddled in uncertainty now. "You do not know what you are talking about!"

"Do you know why I know?" this time, the royal knight was taken aback by the hoarseness of her voice. As though she were just a hairsbreadth away from crying and her fists were starting to clench at her sides. "Because that's the power I had to destroy all those years ago! And it's the reason why I'm about to die!"

Conrad's eyes widened at her words.

"And I don't know how it survived and made it here in this world but I swear I will not let my brother go through the same pain I did before. I won't let that power destroy Yuuri," she rose up to her feet slowly, with a grace that only belonged to all things noble. Her eyes were determined and passionate in a way that took Conrad's breath away. "I will find out the truth and I will crush it beneath my feet, no matter what it takes. I've done it before and I _will_ do it _again_."

"Ha! As if you will be able to do that!" Koritsu sneered at her even though there was a trace of fear in his voice. "My master is at the top of Suberera's society! A little girl like you who does not even have an ounce of political power is no match for her! And if you make a move you will endanger the alliances your brother has worked so hard to protect!

"I watched you, you know?" the prisoner laughed at the narrow eyed expression on her face. "These past few days as I stayed in Blood Pledge Castle I observed you hardly ever interact with anyone outside the Maou's close circle of statesmen. Your brother's subjects despise you! You close yourself up and avoid anything political related because you know you don't belong here! How pitiful. A decorative princess made to be as nothing but a doll!"

"…So your master is part of the human elite?" Kagome said after a while.

Koritsu paled, not counting on her to pick that up. "I-I meant."

"Thank you for your cooperation." She said and turned away.

"No! WAIT! COME BACK!"

But Kagome merely walked away without looking back. She was walking elegantly, almost floating over the dirty ground. Conrad followed closely enough not to be noticed, wondering where she was headed now. He saw her pass the guards who bowed as she passed but she never broke her pace and he had to admire her calm, strong presence walking with enough dignity to shame any queen… until she had turned around a dark, empty corner and her pose crumbled.

The earth haired knight watched in surprise as her knees almost gave out and she had to hold out her hand to support herself against the castle wall. She began panting heavily and each breath was a whisper of pain. Her free hand was delicately holding onto the middle of her stomach and Conrad's eyes widened at the late realization.

She had gone all this way to question Koritsu for Yuuri's sake… even in this condition…

She was still panting and he noticed her legs were buckling underneath her until finally, her hand slipped from the wall. It was the time that Conrad decided to react.

Before Kagome knew what was happening, she found herself _not_ getting closer and personal with the ground but being lifted way up off it.

"Eh?" she blinked for a few minutes, confused.

"You're an idiot."

"KYAAAHHHH! Sir Weller?"

"Quiet down, you'll have everyone running over here."

"…Sorry."

"I thought we are going to be on a first name basis now?"

"Oh; yeah; sorry, Conrad."

"You are busy, my lady?" he asked with a warm smile on his face.

She tried to push away from him but winced at the pain from her wound and had to stop. "I said stop that; you're creeping me out; why are you following me?"

"I can answer that later, in the meantime, I think getting you back to your room should be my first priority." He told her as he began striding easily across the grounds.

Kagome knew that it was no use to argue at this point. She was much too exhausted to try and fight against Conrad's superior strength. "Please… don't let anyone see me."

Conrad spared her a look but said nothing before making a beeline for the informal part of the gardens where a lot of the castle's edible vegetation grew. He took a peek to make sure they won't be waylaid by anyone before he crossed the grounds, his long legs making short work of the space between it and the doorway that would lead them back into the castle.

From what Kagome could see it looked like some sort of servant's entrance. She lay there in his arms comfortably as he navigated a dizzying maze of corridors and rooms, taking care not to jostle her.

Kagome raised her brows at it. "Wow, you seem to know this place really well…"

Conrad had to crack a smile at the wonder in her voice. "Well… Hube may not have liked me very much back when we were little but Gwendal was very adamant that I was part of the family and should be treated as such. So whenever we were invited to vacation here Gwendal and I would play in this castle. We know this place like the back of our hands. This here is the servant's entrance."

"Wolfram too?"

The smile on the Maou's guardian's face turned a little lopsided. "He may have been too little to remember but I used to carry him on my back whenever he got lost here."

Kagome couldn't stop herself and laughed softly. "Somehow, I can picture you guys doing just that."

"He was cuter back then, too," Conrad continued as he came into a deserted hallway with a small set of stairs leading to the upper levels of the castle. "Not as whiny and definitely not so uptight."

The young woman nodded. "Puberty can do that to many."

This comment surprised a laugh out of Conrad and when he realized what he just did, he stopped and stared down at her smiling face for a while. And then he smiled.

Kagome stared back at him, awed at the transformation that took place on his face before she returned it. "It's so nice to see you smiling from the bottom of your heart. No wonder Yuuri is so adamant about keeping you happy."

Conrad blinked at that but he knew what she meant and just nodded. It was one of the reasons why he loved his king, after all. He then proceeded to climb the stairs, intent on reaching her room. When he got there he struggled to open the door without putting her down.

"It's fine, Conrad, you can put me down now."

She was ignored. Conrad balanced her on one arm and, quick as a flash managed to open one of the twin double doors. Kagome couldn't help noting how strong he was despite his lean body. it strongly reminded her of Sesshoumaru.

"You are not supposed to be up and about in your condition." He started scolding her as he came into the safety of her empty room.

She sighed and rubbed her face in exhaustion with a free hand before sighing out an answer. "I know."

Conrad stared at her. She really was tired. The bags under eyes and the evident pain on her face all added on top of each other and made him want to wince. "His Majesty will not be happy to learn that you have been wandering about instead of recovering."

"Yeah," she huffed. "I know that too…"

He waited to see if she would say more about the conversation that took place between her and Koritsu but she kept her face averted. It was clear that this was not a subject she was willing to broach at the moment.

Conrad considered holding onto her until she told him everything. Whether he denied it or not he couldn't erase the thought that her life might be in danger because of whatever power she was talking about. The general understanding of what the Shikon no Tama and how she had dealt with the powers trying to shift the neutrality of the jewel gave him an idea of what kind of duties she needed to do but he could never have imagined the sacrifices she had to make or the risks she had to take. Perhaps only Yuuri and Ken knew and probably not the entire situation either.

Either way he shared a bond with her. They both wanted Yuuri safe, no matter what the cost. She understood him and accepted him and welcomed even the part that he dared not show to his king.

She was a pure creature that was not afraid to embrace the darkness… whereas Yuuri tended to drive all the darkness away...

"Fine," Conrad finally said, relenting and settling her gently down on her bed. "I won't force you to discuss anything with me this time."

She raised surprised ebony eyes at him and he quirked a dark little smirk at her in return. "Is that really okay…?"

"However," he watched in regret as her eyes shuttered against him again and almost winced and had to compose himself before speaking again. "If you need anyone to talk to… come to me. I'm good at keeping secrets."

Kagome blinked up at him from her bed in utter astonishment, searching his hazel brown eyes for any speck of falsehood… but found none. And that was when she smiled back at him warmly. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind…"

Now it was Conrad's turned to blink back at her. It was amazing how just that one small gesture made her face light up a room. For the first time in a long time, he felt himself flush.

"I-it's about time I get back to His Majesty; please get well soon, my lady." He said almost stiffly as he backed out of the room.

"Ah wait!"

He froze and stared at her as though she was going to leap out of bed and bite him.

Kagome stared at him, confused at his reactions before she turned her attention to her hand now pressed on the sheets on the side of her bed. There was a faint feeling there she couldn't put a finger on and it made her curious. "Has Yuuri been keeping awake to watch over me all this time?"

Conrad blinked before nodding. "He wouldn't leave your side unless he can help it; it was the same for the children until Nikola and His Holiness found a way to distract them."

"No one else came to my room?"

"Just the maids and Gisela."

"Oh…" Kagome smiled warmly. "Okay, I guess that's alright then."

Conrad nodded before escaping through the door. He had just closed the door and turned to ponder on his bewildering reaction just now when he almost bumped into his mother.

"Conrad!" the earth haired knight backed slightly away at the stars shining brightly in his mother's emerald green eyes. Knowing her for this long a time he knew that whatever it was she was thinking would have meant nothing good.

"M-mother!" he stuttered. "W-what are you doing here? I thought you were on a trip!"

"I was but after Gunter wrote to me about what happened I just had to hurry back and check on my dear darling Greta and Elu! Of course I would also like to personally thank Lady Kagome for saving my precious babies!"

"You'll need to wait for a while, she's tired," Conrad tried to steer his mother clear of the room and to the rooms where he knew Nikola was taking care of the children. "Her injuries aren't even healed yet."

Cheri's face turned somber at what she heard. "It was that bad?"

"She was run through with a short sword. I suppose Gunter already told you the details?"

"He did though it was not very encouraging."

"She'll be fine, she just needs some rest."

Cheri suddenly smiled up at him slyly. "Hmm… and you're trying to get her as comfortable as possible, aren't you?"

Conrad swallowed hard but put on his cool smile to marshal back his scattered composure. "Of course. She is the Maou's precious sister, after all. Please excuse me, Mother, His Majesty might need me in the hall."

And at that he made his escape.

Unknown to him was dangerous glee that glinted in the former Maou's eyes.

"My baby's all grown up!" Cheri squealed quietly before turning and finding Nikola and the children.

Her plans would require a great deal of careful planning. She could finally find a way to make one of her beloved sons happy.

/*****/

PLEASE REVIEW…


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: **

Sorry for the looong wait; decided I shouldn't post the story and gave me a site error thingamathing. It made feel so guilty so in order to avoid any more tears (and death threats ^_^;) I tried posting new chapter under a continuation title but that was no good either. THANKFULLY a person called WEST from Yahoo answers jumped out of heaven and saved me; here's the link: http:/ answers ./ question /index?qid =20110320103530AAaXycP. He spread the word that someone figured out a solution and I managed to update (WHOOPPEEEEE!). Special kudos to my brother (smartass that he is) muggleborn_lp who thought about typing the error into the search engine to get into the forums. No matter how I hate it, I owe him now (damn it!). Please, sorry and enjoy, everyone. Also I got depressed since I lost my job and all so it's hard to be cheerful and inspired. If only I could do this thing for a living (sigh). Maybe you guys can suggest any good online jobs? (T_T).

Also I would like to express my heartfelt sympathies to anyone of my readers who have loved ones in Japan. I am sincerely praying, knowing that they would be able to make it through this tragedy.

That said I hope all of you are doing well and again please forgive me for not updating sooner; believe me I have been guilt tripped by my friends about them whenever they come over to cheer me up out of my funk.

**To Everyone Waiting For This Chapter**: I'm sorry for the ridiculously long wait.

**ANN**: *Imari- one of the countries described by Yozak and Gwendal back in Chapter 8.

Please enjoy! ^_^v

**Chapter 21**

Sesshoumaru's face was expressionless as he watched his half brother approach him. The way he walked looked as though he were there to do battle but reading him all this time made the demon lord catch onto the uncertain gleam in his amber eyes even as the scent of his nervousness tingled in his nose. He stopped in mid air on his way back to the West with Rin when he caught the hanyou's infernal scent and the surprising fact that he was following them. So he decided to let Rin and Ah-Un go on ahead of him with strict instructions to the dragon demon to protect Rin with its life before landing on the edge of a discreet clearing beside a forest.

He was indeed quietly surprised when, not even a few moments after landing, the hanyou appeared. How the hanyou was able to find time away from his undead miko he had no idea but the urgency and resignation on his half brother's face made the demon lord's innate curiosity rear its wide eyed head. So he waited.

"Oi, bastard." The hanyou called.

Sesshoumaru allowed a silver brow to rise at the greeting before replying. "I beg to differ."

He watched in mild amusement as his half brother struggled with his temper for a whole minute before he managed to calm down and keep a civil face. His half brother's expressions would never cease to amuse him.

"I've got a favor to ask." Inuyasha continued.

Sesshoumaru eyed him blankly before gracefully nodding his head, allowing him to continue graciously. For the sake of his curiosity he was willing to indulge the hanyou this one time.

He watched as Inuyasha reached into his fire rat haori and withdrew a sealed scroll made of flattened bamboo sticks and strung together with twine. Without preamble, the scroll was tossed over to him and the demon lord easily caught it with his right hand.

"I am surprised you even found the time to write this despite your dead miko dogging over every step you take." He commented after he smelled the telling scents of ink and the fragrant wood within the bundle.

"I'm not really in the mood for any of your bullshit today, Sesshoumaru just…" and here the uncertainty overcame his anger again along with a healthy dose of guilt. "Just give it to Kagome… if you ever see her again."

The demon lord regarded his half brother from above his aristocratic nose in disdain. "And what will this contain? Another apology? Another letter assuring her you _feel_ something for her despite your attachment to your corpse?"

"Enough out of you already, you don't understand anything!" Inuyasha finally snapped at him before realizing what he was doing and reined in his temper again. "Look, just show it to her… As soon as she reads it she'll understand."

Sesshoumaru then frowned at this; he could smell the resignation in the pup's scent. "What are you up to, little brother?"

"It's none of your business," Inuyasha told him before turning his back on his older brother and walking away. "Just do it, Sesshoumaru…" and then, as an afterthought he added, "Please."

Now this was truly beginning to worry him now. He and his brother had a standing alliance but Inuyasha had never pleaded with him for anything.

Narrowing his eyes at his younger brother's retreating back he finally spoke. "How very human of you; what are you planning? Why do you do this? Why act contrary to what you want for a ghost who will never come back to life? Why choose a memory over a solid future?"

Inuyasha stopped but did not turn back towards him. It was a while before he spoke again and his words took Sesshoumaru by surprise. "Do you have… someone you want to protect…?"

It was as though he were hit with déjà vu. For did his own father not ask him these exact same words right before he died?

When he didn't answer Inuyasha kept on walking away until he was gone and he could no longer see him. Clenching his claws around the missive now in his hand, he accidentally broke the seal on the scroll and it now lay open in his palm. Frowning, and acting on his natural curiosity he began reading the letter.

His first thought was… Inuyasha could take lessons from Rin in the art of hiragana, he had the skills of a 5 year old in calligraphy. The second was the confirmation of his original opinion of his half sibling.

"Inuyasha," he spoke to the wind as he frowned at the letter in his hand. "You truly _are_ a fool."

He then took his new burden and rolled it up neatly before summoning his cloud to return to the West and pondered.

Just when was his brother started to become capable of complex thinking? And why did he want to make him stop?

/*****/

"You. Are. Wrong."

"No. I'm. Right."

"No you aren't."

"Yeah I am."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are _not_."

"Are _too_!"

Yuuri glared at the pair of bright ebony eyes that stared back at him with equal intensity. It was obviously clear that neither of them was going to step down. It had become a contest of wills; a fight between right versus wrong.

And they both knew that the truth hung on its balance…

"Oh what possible evidence could you possibly have to prove that?" he finally asked in exasperation.

"Ha! My belief will never be swayed by your incorrect logic!" Kagome answered with her nose up in the air in mock hauteur.

The Maou rolled his eyes at her. "Come on, Kagome, give it up. Ernie in Sesame Street was _totally_ gay."

"And I'm _telling_ you that he's _not_!" she was practically yelling at him at this point. "How could you even _think_ that of him?"

Yuuri sighed. "_Please_, how many guys live with the same guy for nigh on 41 years and makes it a habit to get under poor Bert's skin?"

"That makes _Bert_ gay; come on, don't tell me you've never noticed how much he enjoys the attention," she retorted smugly back at him. "Ernie is _not_ gay, I tell you!"

"Oh?"

"The fact that he has a fetish for elastic bath toy animals does _not_ make him gay," she started to lecture him. "It just makes him… objectophilic. With a touch of zoophilia."

Ken— sitting on the other side of the carriage— winced. "That's just _wrong_."

"Oh come on, he even has a song about it!"

"Come to think of it," Ken raised a brow thoughtfully. "If I remember it right, the song went like 'Rubber ducky you're the one~'… Oh my God I think you have a point."

"See?" Kagome gloated at her twin.

Yuuri looked green. "You're _both_ sick!"

"Father? What's objectophilic…?"

All three froze and then the two young men looked down nervously at Greta who they have completely forgotten in the middle of their heated debate. Kagome looked around to see their companions and nearest escorts listening in on their conversation with confused but avid interest. Since nobody in the group (with perhaps the exception of Conrad, her brother and Ken) could have any idea of what they were talking about, she took it all in stride.

"It's just something you call a person who likes objects more than people, Greta." She tried to explain to the child as innocently as she could.

Yuuri and Ken started to breathe again at her save.

"What about zoo… zoophilly?"

Again the two young men froze.

Kagome kept calm. "Zoophilia, sweetie. It's a case where a person… _likes_ animals more than people."

"Ohhh… I like animals too, does that mean I'm zoophilia?"

Ken coughed.

"I think it'd be easier if you just called yourself an animal lover, honey." The female soukoku chuckled.

"Oh. Okay." Greta nodded in seeming finality.

Kagome twitched and she barely managed to hold back a smile when she turned her attention to her brother and friend. "How did we get into this discussion again?"

Yuuri rubbed a palm over his face as he searched for answers but Ken beat him to it. "I think it started out as an innocent debate on whether Dora or Sesame Street would be able to coach Elu better in the art of letters if he were on Earth."

"Oh… now I remember." she laughed softly, a fact that made Yuuri smile, glad that he had accomplished his goal.

All Yuuri could do was stare at her at that moment, drinking in her still pale but rosy features and his heart soared with relief as he made sure that she was well and safe and sound. "I'm so glad you're okay."

She stopped laughing and rolled her eyes at him along with a light cuff on his shoulder. "It's been a month, Yuu-chan; I told you I'll be fine. Did you think Gisela doesn't know how to do her job?"

"You know what I mean…" he responded in a hushed voice.

Yes the both of them knew what he meant. She _did_ get impaled in a rather grotesque way, after all and she was sorry he had to witness that.

"For the millionth time, Yuuri, _I'm fine_!"

Kagome barely repressed an exasperated sigh as Yuuri turned on his seat to check on her again for what would have been the umpteenth time since they departed for Blood Pledge Castle. They were almost at the end of their journey and still Yuuri wouldn't stop checking on her and she was ready to blow her top.

"I'm really sorry, Kagome," he said again for what _had_ to be the umpteenth time as well. "It's just that the Round Table Conference can only be held at Blood Pledge Castle and—"

"I know."

"I would have refused but—"

"It's fine."

"Just tell me if your wound hurts and I will get them to stop the horses—"

"It's _okay_, Yuu-chan, I _swear_ it is."

"But—"

She cut him off by reaching out a free hand and holding onto it from across the carriage seats.

It was specially ordered from Blood Pledge Castle complete with extra padding to make her as comfortable as possible. To fit everyone, Yuuri had it designed similarly to the coach trains that passed as public transportation in the American Wild West in the past so more people could be in it and so there would be more room to lie down on. Ken reinforced this idea by drawing up the design.

It has been two months since she woke up when Gwendal came into her room in all his glorious intensity glaring at the Maou who was with her at the time and telling them they were to leave for Blood Pledge castle in a week's time. Yuuri wasn't happy since he was spending most of his time by her side along with the children than anything else then but she insisted she was going to be alright and persuaded him to go. Making a fuss in her brother's court was the last thing she wanted to do at this point especially since she wanted to remain obscure in anything political until she could decide what to do with the person who held powers that could possibly remake a new Shikon no Tama.

She consented to travelling without a problem even though Yuuri would have put his foot down against it had she even breathed one sigh of protest against leaving. Lately he had been more attentive and considered her opinions more and she had a suspicion Ken had something to do with it but his fear for her safety made him a little… paranoid. He had always been good at keeping his promises to her but although he never said anything, she knew he was worried he might not be able to keep all of them. He must be feeling some of her anxiety even though she was trying doubly hard to hide it from him. She couldn't help it; he was just that powerful and it was only understandable that his power would push through their bond and nose in on her feelings. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to hide from him until she could deal with it quietly.

"It's fine," she reassured her twin again, infusing their bond with her present situation as much as she could so she could prove to him that she was fine. It was something they could both do for each other for as long as she could remember but was never really conscious of it until she came into her powers. "My wounds have almost entirely closed up I promise it'll get better. I can move now, see?"

"You shouldn't have to move around until after it's completely closed," Yuuri muttered sullenly, mollified despite himself. "I'd better not hear any crap from anyone about us being late, though."

"Relax, the Shikon no Tama will do the rest as soon as it clots down. See? Wounds like these usually take weeks to close but Gisela did a wonderful job stitching me up and the Shikon is helping. I feel awesome."

In the back of the carriage, the medical officer blushed brightly in pleasure.

"I still wish you'd had let me put a bed in here so you could lie down." The Maou grumbled.

"Absolutely not," Kagome's face soured. "I told you it'd look like a _Hersch_! And I'd rather arrive at the castle normally than looking like an outpatient from KooKooville Mental Hospital!"

Yuuri looked at the much more spacious but unusual carriage and had to agree with a sweat drop. He gave Kagome a wry smile. "Trust you to save me from myself."

"Don't be silly," she smiled out of the train towards Conrad who merely sent her a smile back as well as Rolf and Wolfram who all decided to ride horseback to the castle on his side of the carriage. "You have plenty of that here to do that for you."

"Stop pestering her, wimp," Wolfram scolded Yuuri, making him wince and turn back to the blond Mazoku riding on his white horse outside his window. "She's tougher than you."

"What did you say? And stop calling me a wimp!" Yuuri raged against the von Bielefeld prince.

"Shut up, wimp." Wolfram merely smirked at him tauntingly.

"Grrr!"

"Wolfram, you know better than to provoke him." Conrad jumped in, patiently scolding his younger brother as he rode right behind him.

"You _always_ take his side!" the blond pouted.

Kagome had to laugh at the exchange. It was unusual not to feel anyone's glares aimed at her since they began the journey; it was as though the ill intent and distrust everyone here had for her dissipated with the way she rescued Elu and Greta. The realization softened her heart towards them.

_Yuuri was right_, she thought. _They're all good people…_

She caught Conrad's eyes and, for a moment, they shared another smile. It was too quick and brief for anyone to have noticed… Anyone, that is except to a pair of sparkling emerald eyes that belonged to none other than Cecille von Spitzberg. Regrettably, Kagome didn't notice this. She suspected that Conrad must have heard everything she told Koritsu at the dungeon but she was grateful he was not trying to open it up. His silence wouldn't last forever but Kagome was content to leave things as they are for now. It would be better this way and she'd deal with the complications as they came. At least until she can figure out a better way to solve the problem herself and keep Yuuri from this impending threat.

Koritsu.

She was worried about her discovery of this power emerging in this world and wanted to discuss the situation with Murata but he had been constantly busy as well and whenever he had time they would be surrounded by everybody else. She knew that if anyone would listen to her, he would.

As per Gwendal's orders, she heard Koritsu was transported to Blood Pledge Castle a few days ahead before they departed from Brischela Castle. She later on found out from Dorcas that the dark skinned man asked to have an audience with her but Gwendal brutally refused. Kagome was touched by his protectiveness even though he never visited her once while she was confined in the Brischela's guest rooms. Shippou told her he was always working and travelling outside the castle.

"I, for one, am glad you're feeling better, my dear," Lady Cherie smoothly joined the conversation as though they were merely having a tea party. "You really worried us back there."

Since she arrived in the castle, Kagome had noticed that the beautiful blond lady had dropped all formalities and reservations with her. It was both pleasant and alarming how the older Mazoku woman could change moods so often. Kagome was pretty sure that if this woman and her biological mother were to meet they would surely become the best of friends. She would also bet her foster mother would probably be dragged along. The young miko could practically see them on a shopping spree right now trying to get her into one of those overly lacy concoctions her mother used to make Yuuri wear when he was little. She shuddered mentally at the thought.

"Really, what were those men _thinking_, summoning His Majesty over to Blood Pledge Castle while Kagome is recovering?" Cheri continued, oblivious to Kagome's thoughts. "Thoughtless creatures."

"For neutrality is my best guess," Ken answered as he relaxed beside Yuuri. "Which means that whatever it is they want to discuss with Yuuri must be really important and would require him to meet them on level ground and not push his decisions in favor of a particular House; in this case, Lord von Voltaire's family."

Everyone looked towards the head of the caravan to see Gwendal sitting up straight on his horse, Kirara sitting on his broad shoulder while Shippou sat in front of him. Far enough to afford him some privacy but near enough to defend them if need be. The dark haired lord held Yukishiro's reins steadily since the horse absolutely refused to let anyone mount him. It took a veritable amount of smooth talking from Kagome before the stallion allowed the Mazoku lord to take its reins.

Everyone could see how pissed off Gwendal was about it even though he handled the recalcitrant horse and the young kitsune with care even now. Kagome had noticed that they have been keeping each other company a lot since she got bed ridden and wondered, not for the first time what the two did to spend time with one another. She could have asked but it seemed Gwendal was never around when she was.

Kagome frowned, worried. Since Yuuri found out she had woken up and she was allowed to move about on her own again, she noticed Gwendal never really looked her in the eye anymore. It was almost as though he were avoiding her. What was _his_ problem? It was, as though he was doing everything he could to avoid her.

"I don't get it," Kagome commented thoughtfully instead, disturbed at the thought that she had done something to displease the tall Mazoku in a way. "How would the Voltaire family gain an upper hand on this kind of discussion? It's not the first time you guys had to handle problems involving other countries, right?"

"An excellent question, as expected from my lady!" Gunter sang and Kagome had to turn to look outside her window at the lilac haired man riding astride his horse with Yozak who winked back at her cheerfully. "Well this would be a great excuse for another history lesson! Allow me to—"

"Actually," Rolf started in a rather semi bored tone just behind the two. "The ten nobles had made it a tradition to keep talks about all matters that involve Shin Makoku's outside relations kept within the privacy of the Round Table room since the incident with the 15th Maou when they held those kinds of discussions on von Bielefeld lands because the lord von Bielefeld's son at the time was sick and he did not want to leave him. However, because the Lord von Bielefeld at that time didn't like the majority's decision concerning that issue, he kicked the other nine nobles out of his house and manipulated the Maou until he went with _his_ plans."

"Wow, Rolf, you're so smart." Kagome raised her brows at him, genuinely impressed.

"W-well…!" the Mazoku lord turned as red as his hair.

Gunter glared at the younger Mazoku for robbing his thunder but he was ignored. Everyone else hid their relieved sighs since they knew Rolf had just saved them from an hour's long lecture on the history of Shin Makoku.

Kagome smiled, glad that Rolf stayed with them all this time. Though he made frequent trips for Gwendal from time to time to communicate some defense strategies to Karbelnikoff lands whose borders were nearest Suberera's, he spent almost as much time with her as Yuuri did. She suspected this was more because he felt honor bound to do so and his boyish gruffness made it easy for her to grow even fonder of the young Mazoku lord. There were times she reminded him of the way Wolfram would act when he was being gruff but she later on confirmed his bookwormish ways when he joined in on a discussion between her, Yuuri and Ken about their school work.

"So from what you said does that mean we were in Voltaire lands back there?" Kagome asked and caught Gunter's attention again, pulling out of his dark thunder cloud that was aimed at Rolf.

"Yes, the Brischela are among the many vassals of the Voltaire family and so all their holdings and their titles belong to Gwendal as Lord von Voltaire." Gunter happily explained to her. "And since they are under von Voltaire protection, it's only natural that they are located within Gwendal's lands."

"Whoa…" Yuuri binked. "I knew Gwendal's palace was nearby but I didn't know _that_."

"Idiot! Then what in the world were you and Gunter doing holed up alone during your tutoring sessions?" Wolfram cried out in fury.

"What in the world does _that_ mean?" Yuuri yelled back at the blond.

"Wow," Kagome raised her brows at Gunter, ignoring her brother and fiancé. "He's _that_ important, huh?"

"My son is one of the most powerful and influential lords on the Round Table; the others, like Lord von Gyllenhaal may be influential because of the family they were born into but none of them have Gwendal's influence and power." Cheri declared proudly. "He's not really being aggressive since he wants to keep the peace but he can even be more powerful than my brother in law if he wanted to."

"Brother in law?"

"She means Waltorana." Yuuri supplied.

Kagome had to blink a few times before remembering the tall, slender man with dirty blond hair and large earrings from the last time she had tea with the lords. "Oh, I remember now! Didn't you mention a while back that he really didn't want you to be Maou?"

Yuuri laughed at her sheepishly. "Well he accepted me along with all of them in the end. Gwendal took care of everything."

"It must be really difficult," Kagome thought out loud without even thinking. "Gwendal watches over a vast amount of land, tames Yuuri's paperwork and handles the Maou's affairs when Yuuri's away, handles the soldiers and the country's defenses and takes care of Greta in his spare time. When does he ever have any time for himself?"

"Oh it's fine," Cheri waved her comment off while her smug smile declared how proud she was. "Gwendal is resilient. He has done all this since he was younger than Wolfram and more. He is doing exactly what is expected of the head of the von Voltaire family. Taking care of Greta is just a bonus since he likes children. Our Gwendal can do _anything_!"

Kagome thought that was a little exaggerated; they all looked at Gwendal like he was invincible. Like nothing could ever hurt him. As though he were some sort of pillar they all leaned on. But she knew differently of course. She could still remember that night at Cabalcade when he had forgotten what it was to be in control…

Her breathing hitched and her cheeks heated at the memory. She had done all she could to forget about that night as best as she could and the past events that made them possible made it easy for her to do so. But now that she had allowed her mind to go idle in the most inappropriate of times she couldn't help but be mesmerized by the memory of the heat in his sharp blue eyes that seemed to have glowed a shade brighter than it usually was. How comforting the hardness of his body was against hers at that time and at the way a single touch from him sent her senses skittering off to oblivion for the first time in her life.

"Are you alright, Aunt Kagome?" Greta's innocent question dragged her out of her sinful musings all of a sudden. "You're turning red… and you're breathing hard."

Kagome smiled down at her nervously and mortified out of her mind. "I-I'm fine, Greta; just a bit… warm." _Wow, talk about the understatement of the century_. "Sorry, are you sleepy?"

Greta rubbed her eyes groggily and nodded. "Are we home yet?"

"We're almost there." Yuuri smiled at his daughter fondly.

"Okay." Greta smiled back but tightened her hold on Kagome's arm.

Kagome had to smile at that. Ever since she was allowed out of bed the little girl stuck to her like a tick. She, Elu and Shippou acted like she was going to burst into froth the moment one of them let go. Back at the Brischella castle, it was all they could do to keep Elu from hopping into the carriage with them to escort them back to the palace. Only the fact that Shippou promised to 'protect' her kept the little boy from weeping in his mother's arms. Ken kept joking that she just acquired herself another 'knight'.

She kicked him in the shin and told him it wasn't funny.

"I still think it would have been better if you stayed with your family instead of escorting us back to Blood Pledge Castle, Hube," Kagome turned to the one eyed spy who rode just a bit to the front of the carriage near her window. "Nikola must miss you so much."

Hube looked back at her and slowed down his horse to be able to peer into the carriage himself. "It is an honor to be serving you like this, Lady Kagome. If anything, Nikola insisted that I help keep you safe. It is my whole family's desire."

"But—"

"My lady, the Maou's family have been kind to mine," he cut her off gently; with a smile so heartbreaking it made her stare at him. "We owe a great debt to His Majesty, Lord Shouri and now you, Lady Kagome. All three of you have saved my family at some point or another so please allow us to return the favor and serve you faithfully."

Kagome sighed. She knew it would be hopeless for her to protest now. "Fine but you'd better spend some time with Nikola and Elu when I go back to Earth, Hube. She would never say but I bet she misses you."

Hube nodded at her deferentially. "Of course, my lady."

She felt guilty; _really_ guilty for taking Hube away from is family although she knew he insisted even after she practically begged him to stay and spend some time with Nikola and Elu. Apparently the Brischella family had a stubborn streak a mile wide. And judging from whatever was eating Gwendal, she suspected it all ran in the family.

/*****/

"Gwendal? Are you mad at my Mama?"

Gwendal looked down at the little kitsune on his lap, surprised at the question. Wide, forest green eyes returned his look with complete candor that had always been hard for him to resist. He tried to stay composed, though. "What makes you say that, Shippou?"

The little kit frowned and thoughtfully looked at the road beneath them before speaking again. "You haven't even looked at her since she woke up. She's not saying anything but she's starting to get worried she did something to make you mad I know she is."

Gwendal tried to keep the scowl off his face if only for the sake of the young boy who seemed to have taken a liking to him. "I have been busy."

"Mama said friends should be warm to each other even when they're busy; and Mama said you're her good friend."

Gwendal couldn't help it. His fists tightened on his reins making his horse whinny and complain and for Yukishiro to shoot him a murderous glare. He tried thinking of a logical way to get out of this brand of questioning. Trust a child to come right out and say what they were feeling without the fear of reprisal. If anybody else saw his odd actions they were all too afraid of him to come out right and take him to task about it. The only reason his family hadn't talked to him about it yet was probably because they haven't noticed anything, something for which he was thankful for. But Shippou… he had always known, since the first time he saw the little kitsune that he was bright for his age. He should have known there was a reason the boy had asked to ride with him instead of in the carriage and cling to his mother like a leech like he usually did.

"I've just been very busy." He answered lamely.

He hated lying to children so what he said was no lie; he did keep himself busy but not because he couldn't help it. It was because it gave him a reason not to talk to her. Every time he thought about looking at her crushed something inside him he never realized was there; every time he thought of her speaking with him again that annoying pain in his chest would come out and taunt him and repeat her words over and over again…

_I love you… so much…_

_Don't… leave… me…_

_Stay with me… Inuyasha…_

Her soft whispers made him grit his teeth as he forced himself to calm down. He thought he had forgotten them already… but one look at her as she entered the carriage and even the faint sound of her voice as they traveled was enough to make him grow weak. She was not healthy if she made him this weak with nothing but a lingering memory of her drugged hallucinations while she slept at that time. He had heard Gisela saying she had given Kagome a drug that numbed the pain but had the side effect of causing hallucinations for the patient for a little while. He wished he had known about it earlier then perhaps he would have stayed away from her that night. It hurt to look at her from the eyes of a man. And he hated her for it. He tried to console himself that this attraction he was feeling was purely physical brought about by his own mistake of neglecting his physical needs.

_He refused to think about it anymore. It was none of his business!_

"Shippou," he suddenly found himself saying before he could stop himself. "Why does Kagome love that… half demon?"

"Oh you mean Inuyasha?" Gwendal's jaw twitched at the name. How he despised that name ever so much. The boy hadn't noticed, though and merely thought for a moment before answering his question. "I'd like to say I'd been wondering about that myself but then again, to be fair, Inuyasha isn't really that bad of a guy."

"He defended the woman who had tried to kill Kagome even though he knew she loved him," Gwendal commented, incredulous at Shippou's words. "I think that would have readily classified him as a 'bad guy'."

Shippou sighed the exasperation of a child talking to a particularly dense adult. "You don't understand my Mama at all, do you? Uncle doesn't, come to think of it. Seriously, do you really think my mother would be the kind of person who would fall in love with someone who was not worthy?"

Gwendal had no answer to that. He didn't even know how to answer it now that he thought about it.

"My mama is beautiful so she has a lot of suitors," Shippou half bragged, half explained. "In our time she was courted by lords and princes from both human and youkai origins. It only got worse as time went by and the only reason they haven't kidnapped her outright and forced her to marry them was because of Inuyasha. Inuyasha who's only an illegitimate second son of a youkai lord. An outcast by all means from both sides because he's hanyou but because of his positive traits, my Mama fell in love with him despite all that when he showed her that he cared about her."

At this, Gwendal's brows rose up.

Shippou nodded solemnly and not for the first time was Gwendal fascinated by the wealth of wisdom in one so young even for a Mazoku. "Our friend, a monk, told me once that Mama is special because of the way she loves the people in her life."

"What does that mean?" Monk? Was that the other friend His Majesty was talking about that they found guarding Kagome when he saved her?

"In the place where we came from, the discrimination between humans and demons were as wide as the biggest seas. It's like heaven and hell back there and for good reason. Demons hated humans and humans hated demons, much like the situation here, only worse. Miko are highly revered because of that," Shippou bounced and faced the Mazoku general. "Mama is the exception to that rule. She has friends in both demon and human lineages. Whenever you're with her, it didn't matter what you are. As long as she knows you love her, she will love you in return. You probably know what I mean considering who you're Maou is."

Gwendal returned Shippou's sly smirk with a twitch of his own mouth, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Miroku says it's because Mama is the kind of person who loves 'despite' and not 'because'," the little kit scrunched his face trying to remember what exactly Miroku said that day. "I can't exactly remember what Miroku said word for word, it's probably something perverted anyway; but I understood what he meant by example. One example is that each and every one of our friends has tried to kill or trick my Mama before we became friends with her."

At this, Gwendal couldn't stop his brows from climbing up his hairline but he remained silent.

"Sango tried to kill us since she was tricked by Naraku; she was told that we killed her family so she went after us; Miroku tried to suck her into the black void in his hand; I stole the shards of the Shikon no Tama from her and almost got her killed and with Inuyasha …" here, Gwendal noticed the twitch in the kitsune's shoulders. "From what I heard he tried to kill her because she looked so much like Kikyou the first time he saw her."

"…Kikyou. The woman who tried to kill Kagome?"

"Yeah, that one," Shippou grimaced but shook his head as though trying to get his thoughts straight again before launching into the tale of Inuyasha and Kikyou's tragic love story. Gwendal listened avidly; hearing the general story from Yuuri and the details from someone who had actually _been_ there when this all happened was vastly different. It didn't hurt that Shippou was quite a talented story teller as well; he should speak to Lord von Gyllenhaal about teaching him more about the arts. "Mama understood Inuyasha's love for Kikyou and his need to be loyal to her even to the grave. So she made a promise to always stay by his side. I know for a fact that Inuyasha cares about Kagome too but it hurts all of us when he goes away to follow Kikyou and leave Kagome behind trying to hide the fact that she was hurt because it was a harsh reminder that she would only be second best to the memory of a dead woman. Once, he even left her to look for Kikyou and Naraku almost got Kagome's soul. It was a good thing Mama's soul was so pure and she was able to fight back."

"Someone tried to get her soul there too?" Gwendal shook his head. What was it about the woman and her soul that seemed so irresistible to the wicked?

"Like you wouldn't believe," Shippou shook his head. "Anyway, where was I— oh yeah! So you see she knew just what kind of hardship Inuyasha had gone through all throughout his childhood being hanyou and finding love but the woman he loved only wanted the part of him that was human. Inuyasha's a bit screwed up with emotions because of his upbringing but he protected us, saved us and cared about us. So Mama saw all his good qualities instead of the bad and loved him _despite_ how he is and what he is and the fact that he loved someone else. She was willing to wait for him for as long as he allowed her beside him. It's just the kind of person Mama was."

Gwendal felt the tight fist of envy fist over his heart. "So she loves him… because she pities him?"

"No! She loves him because she understands him; she accepts him. It's the reason why she can love people _despite_; because she accepts them, failings and all because she knew they loved her back," Shippou corrected him. "And she does that for everyone she meets. Now imagine if she decides she's in love with someone; do you think it would matter to her whether or not he does not return the favor as long as he cares about her like Inuyasha did?"

Gwendal didn't answer; he couldn't even if he tried because of the growing lump in his throat as the answer became all too plain. Whoever caught Kagome's heart would be loved with no question, no holding back and it would be forever. And that hanyou had the nerve to throw it all back in her face. His hate for the absent Inuyasha tripled and increased the bitterness in his heart.

"We're here!"

The shout from a nameless escort that made up their entourage alerted them all and, as one, everyone looked to the front of the carriage and saw the towering peaks of the towers that held waving flags identifying the building ahead as Blood Pledge Castle.

"Wow, we made good time," Yuuri was impressed as he peered over at the horizon. "I wasn't expecting us to arrive in at least another day."

"Well we didn't have to stop as much as we thought we should," Yozak smirked proudly at Kagome. "If jouchan took you up on half the offers you gave her to stop we would have reached the castle in about a month from now."

"Hey, I was worried!"

"I told you, I'm _fine_," Kagome sighed in exasperation. "Seriously, it's been two months already; you're being such a worrywart."

"Well I'm _sorry_ if I don't see you getting run through every day." Yuuri grumbled.

Gwendal could hear them clearly, if not a bit faint. He tried to ignore this though as he urged his horse into the castle courtyard. However, as soon as he entered the courtyard, everyone looking towards the front of the entourage saw how visibly his shoulders stiffened all of a sudden. Something was wrong. _Very_ wrong. He could feel it in the air as sharp as the memory of the many battlefields he had the displeasure of gracing.

Conrad rode up until he was well beside his brother's mount. "What's going on, Gwendal?"

Dorcas got off the carriage and immediately grabbed one of the soldiers busily looking around who have yet to notice them by the shoulder and forced him to stop. "Hey, you! What is going on here?"

"A-a prisoner has escaped! It was the human who tried to assassinate Lady Greta! He escaped this morning after hearing one of the guards say His Majesty will be coming back today! We are currently searching for him right now!" the shaking soldier confessed, paling when he saw just who was behind Dorcas at that moment. "Y-Your Excellency Gwendal!"

Cold fury raged inside him at the news. The soldier in front of him looked ready to piss himself in fear of him but Gwendal didn't care as he looked down at the guard from his mount. "How did he escape?"

He didn't have to yell. His soft question only made the soldier paler. "A-apparently the prisoner had faked illness in his cell so when his guards went inside to check on him and offer him medical aid, he grabbed a weapon from them and beat them leaving them inside his cell; and then he escaped, sir! We are currently searching for him even as we speak!"

The Mazoku general looked about ready to flay someone. He had his horse enter the courtyard fully before he issued a command that boomed throughout the entire castle. "ATTEN_TION_!"

And just like toy soldiers all the palace guards stiffened and froze before animating themselves long enough to run into lines and rows facing their high commander. Gwendal glared at all of them before he turned towards Conrad and a grim looking Yozak. "Take His Majesty and everyone into the castle; don't leave them alone for a second until the bastard has been captured or without further notice from me. I am going to lead a search party to find Koritsu."

"I understand." Conrad nodded to him once before turning his mount around back to the carriage with Yozak and Dorcas.

The younger son of the former Maou knew better than to disobey his older brother when he was in this state of mind. He had witnessed just how beaten up Koritsu was after Gwendal 'interrogated' him and it wasn't pretty.

Gwendal, in the meantime, if anyone cared to ask him, was in truth more afraid than he was angry. He kept himself in front of the carriage as much as possible, scared that Koritsu might pop up from a corner and hurt his precious people inside the transport. He allowed Yukishiro's reins go to free his hand for his sword as he wrapped his left arm around Shippou's waist, securing him against himself. He was grateful that Shippou seemed to know how to act accordingly since the boy clung to him and held himself still making him wonder if this happened to him on a regular basis back in his old home.

He heard Yozak try to lighten the atmosphere by joking around. "One lady coming down!"

And then he heard _her_ laugh and it almost made him want to turn around from his horse and look back at her just to see her smile.

"Quit that! Who are _you_ calling a lady?"

"Why you, of course!" the orange haired spy declared with a mock pout. "You're royalty, aren't you?"

"_Please_, you dress up more like a lady than I ever do." She snorted lightly at his comment; grateful how he was trying to lighten up the atmosphere for her and the children but then she sobered up slowly. "Yozak… is it true? What's happening?"

So she noticed. Her sense for danger seemed as keen as Shippou's and remembered how she seemed to personally take stock of their locations while they were traveling together as though trying to decide whether or not their location was a safety hazard.

"No time for that; we need to get you inside the castle along with His Majesty." Yozak told her.

Gwendal was getting off his horse so he was treated to a glance of Kagome being flanked by Rolf, the Great Sage and the Maou as Hube and Yozak surrounded them to escort them inside, Conrad bringing the rear, Greta secured tight in her arms. The tension coiled around him until Gwendal was sure he would break from the strain.

"Shippou," he turned his attention from the woman at last. "Take Kirara and go to your mother."

"But I want to help you catch that jerk!" the little fox pouted, clearly wanting revenge from the man who had hurt his mother and tried to hurt his cousin. "I'll get him back for hurting my mama!"

Fortunately, he had had a lot of experience with insubordinate whelps. Namely his brothers. "No, you must keep her safe; that should always be your first priority."

For a moment the boy hesitated, bit his lip and opened his mouth as though he was about to speak. But then he promptly shut up and nodded, before running towards his mother. Kagome broke away from her brother and his guards to meet the boy half way leaving her vulnerable. At that moment she looked up and their eyes met and Gwendal forgot, for that small second, the world around him. His heart felt like it was floating and sinking at the same time and all he wanted… all he wanted was to drown in her…

And it was during this unfortunate second of self indulgence that the enemy struck.

"_Now you DIE, Witch!_"

As if in slow motion, Gwendal watched as a soldier from the ranks forming around them detached himself from the troops, sword drawn and running. Of course, since she was the target of the last attack his brothers, the guards, Yozak, Hube and the others immediately positioned themselves around the Maou and Greta, ready to give their lives to protect them… However, Koritsu seemed to have other plans. And Gwendal watched in horror as he ran straight for none other than Kagome.

"YOU WILL NEVER TOUCH MY MASTER, BITCH!"

"KAGOME!"

Gwendal barely had time to think before he started running, drawing his sword as he did so. He watched as Kagome, instead of protecting herself, picked up Shippou and shielded him with her body even though her eyes shone with fear and surprise. That fear made Gwendal's blood run so cold it was a wonder he wasn't frozen in place. Instead he ran faster, pushed his body harder; hoping against all hope that he would get there in time so he could save her… He didn't think he would be able to bear it if she got hurt again.

"MAMA!"

And then, as though hearing the Mazoku lord's internal cry, Kirara who was all but forgotten on his shoulder jumped off and transformed into her larger form, sleekly gliding in between the disguised Koritsu and Kagome making the crazed man stop in wide eyed surprise and horror at the large fangs snapping at him all of a sudden.

"What in the—"

"JUDGMENT!"

Gwendal paled with a different kind of horror when he recognized the yell followed by some sort of explosion and then a glittering ball of fire that hit Koritsu with a blast of rather… colorful flame?— that lit the sky with sparks making everyone flinch for their lives.

"OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!" Everyone looked up and saw a beautiful red head walking down the stairs that led to the front entrance of the castle with a large bazooka like weapon at her side still smoking at the tip. "My new invention, Light-Up-the-Sky-With-Your-Love-kun may not have produced the firecrackers show I wanted to celebrate Your Majesty's return with but it did manage to find itself useful in other departments, after all! I truly _am_ a genius!"

Koritsu was now on his rear on the ground with his stolen uniform burned and tattered and his hair and brows singed beyond recognition.

"Lady Annisina!" Greta's maple eyes lit up with undisguised adoration for her idol from within Yuuri's arms.

Gwendal struggled and won his composure back as he growled at the other soldiers around them who seemed as though they could do nothing but gape at the eccentric woman. "What are you waiting for? Bind him and put him back in his cell! Make sure that when attending him no one carries a weapon and is with four other people guarding outside his cell if he does make a similar complaint! Stop being so careless or I will punish you myself!"

"SIR, YES, SIR!"

He watched with freezing eyes as they dragged the still shell shocked human away.

"Oh my, Gwendal, you sound angry."

"Stop it, Annisina, I am not in the mood." He practically snarled at her as his eyes sought Kagome again, wanting to make sure she wasn't hurt, his heart still beating a mile a minute. For the first time in a long time he was unbothered by his deep fear of the woman because of his overwhelming need to make sure Kagome was safe.

He found her surrounded by Yuuri, Yozak, Hube and the others.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Yuuri asked in alarm as he ran to her side with Ken following close behind.

"Kagome!" the bespectacled soukoku immediately latched onto her hands while Yuuri gripped her shoulders. The uncharacteristic look of concern on the Great Sage's face made more than one person on the courtyard blink. "Kagome, are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine," She breathed out, obviously trying not to worry anyone even more than she already had but it was obvious that she was more than visibly shaken. "I'm fine."

"Mama!" Shippou called from her arms and a detransformed Kirara leapt onto her shoulder and started nuzzling her cheek comfortingly.

Relief flooded through him when he saw she was safe and it was all he could do not to sag against the nearest wall to support himself. Hot and fast on the heels of that feeling, however, was a raw unadulterated rage for her carelessness. And rage at himself for being so selfish. For allowing himself the small pleasure of looking at her and drowning in her when he knew they were in the middle of danger.

"Lady Annisina, you're back!" Greta practically jumped at the red haired Mazoku lady in her excitement.

The Karbelnikoff lady looked down at the adoring eyes of the little girl with a proud smirk. "Ah, Greta. I heard about the incident at Elu's birthday party. Did you manage to defeat your foes like the Great Poison Woman Annisina?"

The little girl bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Lady Annisina, I was so scared I just cried."

The red head put a hand on her head gently. "It is fine; someday you will be strong enough."

Greta brightened. "But Aunt Kagome saved me and Elu, Lady Annisina! She was hurt really bad but she saved us all by herself!"

At that, Annisina raised her brows and looked up to find the aforementioned 'Aunt' Greta was talking about. It wasn't a hard chore since there were only three known soukoku in the immediate area and all three were huddled closely with each other. "It just goes to show that women are far more superior than men, if that is the case."

"Now, now, Annisina…" Yuuri sweat dropped at the comment. "Oh by the way, this is my sister, Kagome."

Kagome gave her a polite nod. "It's very nice to finally meet you. Greta tells me a lot of things about you."

"Oho so this is the heroine who saved my darling Greta and Elu-chan!" Annisina eyed her with respect and a short bow. "You, my dear, uphold the pride of women in this country! For that you have my eternal friendship!"

Wolfram grimaced. "Come on, Annissina, stop trying to corrupt her!"

"Lady Kagome, how are your wounds?" Gunter began fussing over her. "Gisela, come! Look after my lady!"

"Yes, Father!" the medical officer called out, her medical bag already in her hand.

"Your Majesty!" Cheri called out as she strode over to them from the direction of the carriage as fast as her three inch heels would take her. "Is she alright?"

"She's alright, mother," Conrad called over to the blond woman. "Just a little shaken."

"I'll take you to your room," Yuuri told her, his arms still wrapped around his sister as he steered her towards the castle. "You can rest easier there."

"Um, Your Majesty?"

"What is going on here?"

Everyone stopped and looked around only to see Waltorana leading the other Six Nobles of the Shin Makoku nobility coming out of the castle just behind Annisina; all of them sporting shocked looks on their faces. Evidently they have managed to witness the earlier chaos.

"Ah," Annisina gave the king a sheepish smile. "I came here with my brother waiting for you; sorry, the excitement made me forget."

Lord Delchias was already rushing down the steps heading straight for Kagome, concern riddled on his face. "Lady Kagome, are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you," she told him with a small curtsy. "We're sorry you had to witness that."

The silver haired lord nodded at her. "We've all just arrived ourselves an hour or two ago and were confined inside the palace by the guards for safety. We weren't expecting for the criminal to appear in such a fashion."

"It's alright," Kagome looked towards the direction where Koritsu was dragged. "I can understand his motivation."

"We apologize, Your Majesty," Lord von Radford bowed to Yuuri. "We were unable to neutralize the problem before you arrived."

"Aha ha ha, it's alright," Yuuri called back, waving an arm. "As long as no one was hurt."

"Lady Kagome," Kagome looked up and saw Lord Delchias already beside her with a kind smile on his face. As soon as he came near her he took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "It's been a while, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great, Lord von Wincott, the Brischella family was very hospitable and Gisela was very skilled. Recovering was no chore." She replied, blushing at the attention even as she executed a brief curtsey. "I hope you and little Lord Rinji have been well; I'm sorry I wasn't better company the last time we met."

"My son is as mischievous as ever but he is a good child," the bright haired man chuckled as he kept her hand in his. "He was very worried about you all the way home to the point that even my father wants to see you now. About enjoying your company well then… I'm sure I would be able to indulge in that while we are here."

"Oh," her blush deepened. "I don't want to be any trouble."

"Not at all," he smiled at her charmingly. "I think my father has turned into quite the busy body in his old age so I think he's just going to take a peek of you out of sheer curiosity. He does have a standing invitation to visit the palace anytime he wanted."

Kagome laughed and something twisted inside Gwendal again. Something uncomfortable and unfamiliar that made his stomach flip over and knot at the same time and he couldn't stop himself from glaring at Delchias in resentment because of it. How did Julia's brother do that?

"I would very much like to meet him." She responded with a warm smile.

"Delchias." Gwendal snapped before he could stop himself. "The meeting is about to start; stop wasting time."

The light haired lord blinked at the harshness in the dark lord's voice, not really sure what to think of this bad mood. Usually Gwendal merely _looked_ like he was in a bad mood but he would be normally mellow. Today, though, there was an edge of… Dare he say _bitterness_, entrenched in his eyes?

"Ah, forgive me," the von Wincott lord bowed politely towards the young lady as well as gave her a charming smile. "It is easy to get distracted by a lovely woman. Let us go and start the meeting; I am sure Her Ladyship is in need of rest from the trip after that ordeal. There is no need to trouble her with such bothersome political issues."

Delchias bowed to her and followed the rest into the castle and Kagome was left there standing with the women and children, a little bit hurt at Gwendal's treatment of her. Why was he being so… distant?

"Actually," now everyone stopped and stared at Waltorana. "I think it would be better if Her Ladyship came with us."

Kagome looked up at him along with everyone else and saw he was staring directly at her. Gwendal felt dread crawl up his spine slowly all of a sudden.

Stoffel scowled at this. "What is this, Waltorana? She is an outsider, even the Maou's family is not allowed within the confines of the Round Table room during a meeting! No, I will not allow it."

"I didn't call for a Round Table," Waltorana remained even but never looked away from her eyes. "But since I will need all of you to be informed as well as the Maou I called all of you here. I apologize for the misunderstanding."

"What is the meaning of this Waltorana?" Gwendal started suspiciously, knowing for a fact that Waltorana was not the kind of person who misspoke himself. Whatever he was anxious to discuss must have been bothering the man quite a bit if the look he was giving Kagome was anything to go by.

"You will find out as soon as we are inside."

The sandy blond nobleman turned away and began his walk inside the palace. The other nobles looked at each other in confusion before following him in. It was obvious that this was not at all what they have planned.

"Since this is not a Round Table meeting then let me join you," the Great Sage suddenly intoned, his intentions hidden behind glazed glasses as he stood in front of Kagome in a protective manner while Yuuri continued to hold onto her. "It would be interesting to hear what the nobles have to say."

Waltorana frowned back at the soukoku ruler but then bowed and allowed the three soukoku to precede him. They all knew that, although the Maou was naïve and had a generous heart, the Great Sage was a different matter entirely and they would do well to tread lightly around him. Gwendal knew this from the time he had started taking orders from the reincarnation of the great king regarding matters left to him by the Maou.

"Mama?"

"I'll be fine, Shippou," she reassured the little fox kit. "Go on ahead with Sangria and Greta, they'll give you some cookies while you play."

"Promise you'll be back and play with us, Aunt Kagome?" Greta asked her with too wide eyes.

"Of course, sweetie." she gave the little girl a grin.

"Don't worry, I'll watch over them for you, Kagome, dear." Lady Cherie smiled at her as she placed perfectly manicured hands on the shoulders of both children, Kirara mewing her reassurances to her as well.

"Thank you very much." She smiled at the blond woman before allowing Yuuri to usher her inside.

Gwendal watched from beneath his lashes as Yuuri escorted Kagome into the castle with Murata on her other side. He could see a trace of anxiety in her ebony eyes even as she tried to remain calm. That anxiety made him want to punch another wall. She was surprised by Koritsu's attack; she wasn't expecting any of it. But the first thought in her mind was to protect her child. His brothers and everyone else's first instinctive thought was to protect the Maou and it was painfully obvious to him now… she wasn't counting on anyone to save her because she knew no one would come for her. The Maou would always take priority whether or not Yuuri had a say in it. And all he could was stand there all that time and stare at her like a hungry fool!

He felt horrible for it but he pushed it aside mercilessly. She wasn't counting on anyone to save her because no one mattered to her. All her eyes, ears and mind would ever be able to process would be Inuyasha; it was evident now after Shippou's explanation. Besides she was only his responsibility as far as the Maou ordered them; when worst came to worst then the Maou's safety must always be placed above anyone else's, even his own sister's. His brothers knew that although it would seem that they were feeling as ashamed as he was for ignoring her safety and not considering that she might have been the target all along. The question was why did Koritsu think it was now better to kill Kagome than Greta or the Maou? What had changed?

She was led inside the castle, into a room with a long table and a chair at the head. Another chair was situated on one end of the table right across from her brother's chair that allowed her to see everyone on the large table which was an odd setting. People outside the Maou and the Ten Nobles were not usually invited to join them on the meeting table and was usually situated against a wall behind the Maou indicating they were under his patronage in their presence.

His brothers and their two spies stayed outside the room to wait but the Great Sage came in with Yuuri, her and the Ten Nobles and the bespectacled soukoku stood beside the Maou's chair. Everyone waited for her to take a seat before they looked at the Maou who followed suit before everyone seated themselves as well.

"We hereby begin this meeting of the Ten Nobles." Waltorana started.

All business and making it a point not to look at the young woman now seated rather gracefully almost practically beside him, Gwendal turned his narrowed blue eyes at Waltorana. "This meeting is acknowledged. Let it begin."

"First of all," Gwendal found that the look on Waltorana's eyes as he stared at Kagome was a bit unnerving. He had one of those faces that always seemed to tell you you've done something wrong and was waiting for you to break and admit it before he lay it on the table for everyone to see. "I would like to express my relief for your recovery; we have all heard from Lord von Wincott about the incident you were involved in at the Brischella castle."

Delchias nodded and sent her a sweet smile.

Gwendal scowled.

Kagome managed a small smile despite her wariness. "Thank you, Lord von Bielefeld. I owe it all to Hube and his family for taking good care of me during my convalescence."

Waltorana nodded, pleased and if she squinted at him a bit she would probably see a dash of approval on his face as well. "That is good. You are all probably wondering why I called on this meeting and asked the Lady Kagome to be here. I will not waste your time further so please take one of these letters and pass them around as you see fit."

The blond nobleman passed around a considerable sheaf of papers first to Gwendal, who then exchanged papers with Gunter and then Rolf and even Yuuri and Ken until all the papers were read by each and every one of them. What Gwendal read between the lines made his blood freeze all over again.

They were letters. From Small Shimaron. Detailing the event where a large pink pillar of light rushed up to the sky in a terrible display of power on a night when everything was supposed to be quiet in the direction of the forbidden city of Ichri. It also narrated his knowledge about the source of this light being sighted on Shin Makoku territory not long after said light show happened and hints that Small Shimaron is suspecting that the Maou was now harboring a dangerous weapon he is secretly planning to use against the humans floated under the ink and the foreign king wants to personally see it.

Gwendal flipped the other documents after it.

Cabalcade.

Musanu.

Haraitee.

Saruma.

Yamamonto.

Kusakusa.

Maika.

The list went on…

All of the letters were worded differently and had different seals on them but eventually arriving and raving about one thing. They all wanted to know the source of the blinding power that appeared in Ichri. They wanted to know what was going on.

"What is this?" he heard Yuuri ask from his seat, looking over another letter from probably yet another country. Squinting a little, he made out the seal for the country of *Imari. This made his brows shoot up into his hairline. "What does this have to do with Kagome being here?"

"Your Majesty," Waltorana began. "These countries have witnessed a wild phenomenon uncommon in our world and rumors of this power have already spread these past months while you were on sabbatical. They have seemed to pinpoint the source of this power to Shin Makoku and these letters are requests that, as your allies, you should introduce them to that source of power."

Yuuri looked back at the papers and shook his head repeatedly in a daze. "No… No she can't… We _can't_!"

"Our allied countries are all curious and withholding this sort of information from them would make them think we are plotting against them," Lord von Bielefeld told the still shocked king. "Normally, it is our right as a country to withhold such information from outsiders however they have witnessed this power on their territory. So unless it is your desire to alienate your allies then I suggest having the Lady Kagome introduced to them would be the best option out there to calm their worries."

"But how did this happen?" Yuuri asked sounding desperate, hands almost crumpling the letters in his fist. "I thought the whole reason you guys kept your little field trip from me was to keep all this a secret?"

"They do not know of the Lady Kagome herself," the noble Mazoku told him with all the calm and arrogance of his noble lineage. "Even King Saralegui does not mention in his letters that he knows you even have a sister; they are merely after the power that you have apparently acquired."

Yuuri closed his eyes and slumped in his seat.

Stoffel was scowling violently. "How _dare_ they demand anything of the Maou?"

"They would have every right to demand," Lord von Gyllenhaal returned thoughtfully, meeting the other blonde's eyes evenly. "Alliances are built on trust. If that trust is breached then everything His Majesty has ever worked for would be for nothing; especially when we are accusing humans of participating in the revival of Sousho."

"But this is going to put her in more danger!" Yuuri protested, looking distressed. "She's been injured just from being an innocent bystander, making her part of the limelight would double her chances of becoming a target! You _saw_ what happened in the courtyard earlier! I refuse to let my sister be the subject of that kind of violence again!"

"Then what do you suggest we do, Your Majesty?" Waltorana asked the Maou. "Do you want to tell the alliance that you refuse to tell them the source of whatever power they were speaking of?"

"I myself have not been able to witness this power," Lord von Karbelnikoff commented, his chin on the back of his hand in a thoughtful pose. "But if it has gotten them all stirred up like this then it must have been well worth their curiosity."

"But Kagome isn't even _from_ this world," Yuuri banged his fist on the table, the sound echoing in the room. "Of _course_ that power would be more than noticeable!"

"She is your twin is she not?" Lord von Gyllenhaal commented, obviously intrigued by the concept of this kind of birth. "Then would it not mean you share a soul? That would make her a part of this country as well."

"That is not accurate, Lord von Gyllehaal," Ken suddenly said, taking all the attention off Yuuri. "The Maou cannot share a soul with anyone; if it were true then Sousho would have needed both of them when he tried to revive himself out of the boxes four years ago.

"The lady Kagome is a different entity all together," he continued as they all gaped at him. "She is a creature whose power is exclusively found only on Earth and even there her kind is very rare. Also she is the keeper of a very powerful artifact that can wish away an entire world. Endangering her is not an option."

"So she is a whole different entity from His Majesty but easily just as powerful…" Lord von Karbelnikoff stated in wonder as he stared at Kagome as though she were a interesting new lab rat. "Fascinating."

"My _point_ is that she doesn't have to do anything by us!" Yuuri cut them all off, angry that they were all missing the point. "This is our problem, not my sister's; let's leave her out of this!"

"It's a little bit too late for that now, Your Majesty," Lady von Roshvall suddenly said, the first words that came out of her mouth the moment they entered the room and started the meeting and everyone looked her way because of it. "Whether she had intended to or not she is now tied into the politics of this country."

"Okay, this is just completely unreasonable!" Yuuri argued. "The last time Shouri was here, he caused a war and I was not obligated to introduce him to everybody."

"Lady Kagome's situation is different," Waltorana pointed out. "Although Lord Shouri also possessed an incredible amount of Maryokou, his powers were not designed to destroy other Mazoku. I think you understand why our allies and other human countries would want to meet her."

"All the more reason why we should hide her away!" Yuuri practically yelled.

"And risk dissolving the alliance?" Lord von Karbelnikoff asked a note of concern on his gentle face. "Your Majesty forgets these allies are human. They will seek an advantage whether you push them away or not. Also, most of them will seek for a deeper alliance with you now that you are the leader of practically one of the most powerful nations in the known world."

"NO! She's already been through enough! I am not letting her suffer on my behalf any longer!" Yuuri started to walk around the table, his eyes blinded with fury and fear as he grabbed Kagome's wrist.

"Yuuri!" she tried to protest but he ignored her. Her first words since the matter was brought up and looking extremely flabbergasted and confused.

"Your Majesty, please!"

Yuuri turned towards them, his eyes still blazing with his anger but his compassion and plea still shone through those dark, dark eyes of his so brightly that they couldn't bring themselves to be angry with him. "I'm going to think of another way so please wait a moment while I think this over; but I am _not_ going to put my sister at risk again for anything. I'm sorry but I just won't be able to stand it."

And with that the Maou stomped out of the room dragging Kagome along with Ken bringing the rear. Outside, Gwendal could hear his brothers and guards expressing their concern, asking what happened. For himself he contemplated on this latest issue. On one hand he could understand why Yuuri was so against the whole idea but if he were honest, he had to agree with Waltorana. He sighed and looked around at the now very silent table; even Gunter had no words to say for the occasion. He remembered the time when Shouri was also brought before the Ten Nobles because of his actions with Alazon and the holy sword. That time, Yuuri had also become very stubborn and adamant.

Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered what it was about the Shibuyas that seemed to inspire international incidents.

/*****/

"Aa-CHOOOO!"

Shouri sniffled as he rubbed the underside of his nose after he flipped his phone closed.

"Shou-chan?" he heard his mother call before the door to his old room opened again. "Are you alright? Are you catching a cold?"

Shouri resisted the urge to roll his eyes over to the ceiling. "I'm fine, Mom."

"It's Mama, Shou-chan!" his mother scolded him, hands on her hips. "Mou, how many times do I have to tell you and your brother? Honestly, boys are no fun at all! Kagome-chan always calls me Mama!"

At the mention of his little sister, Shouri was again reminded by the situation at hand. "Mom, Aunt Aki called a few minutes ago. She said Yuuri came by the house."

"Oh?" Miko blinked her mood dropping all of a sudden as she was reminded by her earlier feeling of dread when Kagome's mug broke. "Isn't he, Ken-chan and Kagome-chan supposed to still be at the school?"

"I know, looks like something happened," there was no point in keeping his mother in the dark about all this. Sooner or later, Yuuri would have to explain himself, anyway. "She said Yuu-chan brought Kagome-chan to Shin Makoku."

"WHAAATTT?" Miko's eyes rounded as she invaded her son's personal space. "Unfair, unfair, I want to go to Shin Makoku too!"

"Mom, I'm sure Yuu-chan has his reasons," _Namely to keep you away from that retarded woman Conrad, Gwendal and Wolfram call their mother_. He shuddered to think what would happen if Lady Cherie and his mother joined forces. Oh the horror! "Besides I don't think he would take Kagome there if he didn't think he needed to."

Miko stopped short at what her eldest was trying to say and again her mood dropped, something that happened often when someone mentioned Kagome. "You don't think something happened to her; do you, Shou-chan?"

Shouri instantly felt guilty at the worry evident on his mother's face. It was no secret, now that they knew that Kagome was actually their sister, how infinitely accountable his mother felt at giving away her only daughter. The moment the secret was exposed she had done every possible thing to make sure she made up for Kagome's abandonment. Shouri knew that Kagome did not blame their mother; if anything she was just as loving with her as with her Aunt Aki but he knew Shibuya Miko would never truly forgive herself. Not really.

"It's alright, Mom," Shouri awkwardly reached forward and wrapped a long arm over her shoulder. "She's with Yuu-chan; and you know he'll be with those annoying brothers. She'll be fine with him."

At this, Miko's face brightened and clapped her hands together. "You're right, Shou-chan; my baby Yuu-chan can take care of his sister, I'm sure of it! Besides, she's the daughter of Hamano Jennifer! I know! Send him a text message and tell him to take her here when they're ready to come back, dear! I'll make curry!"

Shouri half smiled as he watched his mother flitter out of his room and down to the kitchen before he started doing what he was told. Hopefully Yuuri remembered to bring his celphone to school today.

He wanted to see his cute little sister today too.

/*****/

A shudder ran through Kagome at that exact same moment.

She hoped that whatever it was the fates have in store for her would at least be kind. In the meantime, she had a lot of thinking to do. The Ten Nobles took her by surprise so she didn't know what to do. It was disconcerting to hear that she would have to rise up in society and although that didn't really matter to her, Waltorana made several very valid points. How could she possibly leave Yuuri like this?

"Don't worry, Kagome," Yuuri said as soon as they entered the garden where Lady Cherie had her plants all over the place after he had explained what happened to Conrad and the others. "I won't let them do what they want. We can just look something else up; _anything_! You don't have to do anything!"

"I can't believe Uncle would suggest something like that…!" Wolfram was shaking his head in disbelief before his emerald green eyes hardened when he looked back at her. "Don't worry, Kagome, I'll talk to him."

She had to smile at that. Wolfram was so sincere and serious it was cute. "Thank you, Wolfram… Maybe I should think about this a little bit more."

Yuuri whirled back towards her at her words. "I thought you wanted to go home?"

"I _still_ do," she replied firmly. "But I can hardly ignore what happened since it's my fault, anyway."

"Don't worry, Kagome," it was Ken with his too bright smile this time and Kagome's right eye twitched at the sight. He was on the verge of planning something; she just _knew_ it. "Yuuri and I will be meeting in a bit and we'll discuss the best possible solution for this so we can put it in action before we take you back home. In the meantime, why don't you rest? I'm sure you're tired."

"Well I—"

"Lady Kagome, please allow me to escort you to your rooms."

Kagome blinked at the half Mazoku knight incredulously at the offer. "No, you should stay here with Yuuri. He needs you more than I do—"

"It will please His Majesty the Maou to know that Her Ladyship is safe," the shrewd light she saw flicker in Conrad's eyes when he looked at her from under his long cinnamon lashes made Kagome sweat drop. He was warning her to shut up and do as he says despite his cool smile. "I am sure that His Majesty will be able to concentrate more on the meeting with His Highness if he understands nothing will harm Her Ladyship while he is away."

Kagome twitched at his overly polite manner. _What the hell is he thinking?_

"Oh that's a _wonderful_ idea!" Cheri practically burst out with stars shining in her eyes from out of nowhere all of a sudden, making Yuuri and Wolfram flinch away from her. "I agree, Your Majesty, Conrad can take care of Lady Kagome! After all, you will have Yozak and Hube here to watch over you!"

"Mother!" Wolfram cried out in surprise. "Don't _do_ that! And why are you here, where are the children?"

"Oh they're already napping," the esteemed lady brushed her son's words off, more interested in Kagome for some reason the female soukoku wasn't sure she wanted to know. "And Lady Kagome should rest as well, seeing as she had had a long trip."

"But I'm fi-"

"_Nonsense_!" Cheri flared eagerly taking her sons aback before breaking into lecture mode. "I'll have you know, Lady Kagome, that I have raised all of my sons as gentlemen! They would never allow a woman who had just been in your situation alone! Right, Hube?"

"…What?" there was a flash of protest in the dark haired spy's single eye but it was just for a moment; and then it turned into resignation and he looked away, knowing his aunt would insist in what she wanted. "Yes, my lady."

Kagome glared at him. "Traitor."

"So go, Conrad," Cheri was practically pushing her second son towards the female soukoku who was trying to hide her alarm. "And don't leave her until she has been properly attended!"

When Kagome looked at Yuuri and saw how doubtful he still looked, she then knew she had no other choice. It was this or he'll kick up a fuss. "Then I will accept your generous offer, Sir Weller."

"The honor is mine, my lady." He answered with a wide smile Kagome was pretty sure was mocking her somehow.

She almost sighed. And then she followed him inside even as Yuuri and Ken made their way into the Great Hall, Yozak and Hube following closely behind the two monarchs.

When they were out of hearing range from others, he then broke the silence between them. "So what are you planning to do now?"

"I don't know," she said, not bothering to look at him anymore. "I'm not sure."

"You can't run away from this." His voice was low and borderline threatening.

Kagome doubted that her twin had ever heard Conrad speak like this. It would have scared her if she hadn't gone through worse. "What do you mean?"

He stopped in the middle of the empty hallway and Kagome looked up, taken aback by the seriousness in Conrad's eyes. It scared her a little but she was actually relieved. Because unlike the other times when they spoke; he now seemed to be talking to her like an equal.

"From how Yuuri has explained it, Waltorana says that because you have released your power in the human lands, the human rulers are now threatened by Shin Makoku's power more than ever; they do not understand that you can only be useful if used by _them_ against _us_," he started grimly. "Ever since the moment you stepped out of that fountain, you already were a threat to us."

Kagome stopped and stared right back at the hazel eyed man in wide eyed surprise. How could he have possibly known what she needed right now? How did he know she needed to pick someone's brains out? She almost smiled. "So do you think I should just leave then? Leave Yuuri to pick up all the pieces of my mistake?"

"And do you think you'll be able to sleep at night if you do that?"

His rebuttal made Kagome stop and widen her eyes. "What is it exactly that you want to say?"

His stare never wavered from her and she couldn't find the strength to look away. She wondered if this is how he looked like back in his Luttenberg Brigade days. If so then she was not surprised he survived the ordeal. His eyes were cold and unyielding and she almost felt jealous of Yuuri for having someone so devoted to him that he was prepared to do anything— even kill his own soul— just for his sake.

Inuyasha's face flashed in her mind's eye but she shook it away. Soon she will deal with that matter.

"Follow your heart." he finally answered her.

She raised a brow at that. "My heart?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"…Because in the end, it would always lead you towards what's best for Yuuri."

She paused and blinked. And then she slowly smiled, realization dawning on her at last. It was now clear what she was to him and, curiously, it didn't hurt. It was what she was meant for, she guessed; being a means to an end. "You want me to protect the alliance? Get myself out there against his and my wishes to protect the Maou's hold of the top of the world?"

"Yuuri has worked hard to get these countries swayed over to our side," Conrad went on without a trace of remorse in his voice. "And it would hurt him to lose any one of his friends. I will not let him be hurt. Yuuri's dream is to create a world without wars or discrimination; and I will do _anything_ to help him achieve that dream."

"I see…" She walked ahead of him a few steps before she turned back to him with a wide smile. "Geez, Conrad, you should be a politician just like Gwendal. You'll be really good at it, I bet."

"I'd rather not," he was smiling now; a grim version of the smile he would always show around Yuuri. "My place is by Yuuri's side. Besides, everything I know about the subject, I learned from him, so I doubt I'll stand a chance."

She cocked her head to the side at this. "You don't want the wealth, fame and prestige?"

"All that would give me would be stress and unnecessary headaches. Personally," he shrugged. "I want Nunavut (none of it)."

Kagome's eyes widened at his unexpected play on words before her nostrils stretched open in a snort and she laughed until she felt as though her sides would burst.

So Yuuri really wasn't kidding when he told her that Conrad's only fault was his horrible puns.

"Conrad," she gasped when she was finally able to stop laughing, wiping the tears out of her eyes. It felt really good to laugh again. "I think this is going to be the start of a _beautiful_ friendship."

The half Mazoku knight's response was merely a smirk and a mock bow and as Kagome stared she understood that she was now looking at the dark side of Shin Makoku's moon. And it has welcomed her with open arms…

/*****/

"Well, looks like you're up to something new, Your Majesty."

Left behind long after the others have walked off, Annisina turned to the former Maou and did not miss the jovial gleam in her emerald green eyes that mirrored her youngest son's. It produced a smirk on the inventor's blood red lips.

Cherie's laugh tinkled like bells in the middle of the courtyard. "Why, my dear, why would you say that?"

Annisina leaned Light-Up-the-Sky-With-Your-Love-kun against her shoulder as her smirk widened. "Why don't we discuss this over tea then?"

/*****/

Please REVIEW…?


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: **

The model for **Kagome's dress** can be found here:

static2. modcloth productshots/0066/ 5959/27138-1. jpg

Also I would like to thank **maple86** for her beautiful fan art for this story; I was so happy I actually had tears in my eyes when I saw it. Maple86 this chapter is for you ^_^v.

You guys can see her **fan art** if you go to this link:

maple86. deviantart #/ d3cejvr

Thank you so much, maple86!

And if you guys want to hear the song for the Ferris wheel background song **Suifeesen**, you go here:

www. mp3raid music/fujita_ maiko. html

Lastly if you want to see where I got the idea for the **sakura brooch**, just check out this site:

storage. canalblog 30/23/ 119589/ 60449544. jpg

And finally this is where you can find the **Endamame key chain**!:

www. thisnext item/ 417CB395/ Japanese-Popping- Edamame

Just kick out all the spaces!

*As expected, writing the Shibuya family was very enjoyable so I hope you enjoy them too.

Well now, Happy Reading! ^_~v

**Chapter 22**

Yuuri smiled when he rounded the corner and found Kagome looking out into the night with a shawl over her dress, a torch on the wall dancing golden highlights over her raven hair. His first instinct was to wrap his hands over her eyes from behind and enjoy the comforting scent she seemed to always emit while indulging in his urge to prank her. But he stopped short when she looked so deep in thought that she didn't even notice he was there when she usually would. Also, since she woke up, he felt their bond become stronger and though it confused him he welcomed the extra understanding nonetheless. With Kagome he always felt like he needed it.

"Ah, I finally found you," He called out instead and she turned away from the window to give him one of those warm, unguarded smiles he remembered from since their early childhood. He came closer and sat on the window's ledge. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Hmp, just a penny?"

"Well how much are you willing to sell them for?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment before she shot him a grin. "Oden!"

Yuuri sweat dropped and almost fell over from his perch. "You're such a pig for that stuff."

Kagome puffed her cheeks out at him and pouted. "Hey, I'm a growing girl, I deserve a little pampering!"

Yuuri laughed at that. God he loved her so much. Strange as it may seem, he would always feel complete whenever he was with her. Whether or not it was a twin thing was a mystery but he didn't really care as long as she was there. "You disappeared after dinner, I got worried."

"You shouldn't be; the castle's well fortified; Gwendal did a great job."

Yuuri's lips twitched into a smirk. "Yeah, it helps that he's pretty paranoid."

"He's kept you alive this long; I don't think you can complain."

"Who says I'm complaining?" he laughed. "Everything's ready for tomorrow. Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram will be coming with us."

She sighed a little. "Yuuri, really you don't have to do this."

"No, I have to," the stubborn tick in his jaw said it all. "I am not allowing him hurt you anymore. The only reason why I'm taking Gwendal and the others with me is because they won't allow me to rush into that kind of situation so blindly."

"…So how are you and Wolfram?" she suddenly asked out of the blue, steering them away from the uncomfortable discussion. "Come on, it's been a while since we talked like this; tell me if I'm getting myself a brother in law already!"

Her question hit the mark directly on its bull's eye and Yuuri flinched away from her, blushing madly. "W-what the heck? Kagome, we're both boys!"

"So?" she shrugged, eyeing him innocently. "I don't see anything wrong with it. Shin Makoku seems to be an… open-minded country."

"W-well I… Because I like girls, of course!" Yuuri stammered, still flustered.

"I don't know, Yuuri, I kinda like him."

Yuuri twitched. "Of course you would. He's a pretty boy, after all and last time I checked, girls usually fall for them."

"That's not the reason, you ass!" she bopped him on the head with the palm of her hand.

"Hey!" Yuuri scowled at her, rubbing his head.

She pouted right back at him. "He's a good person; loving and sincere and so very kind it hurts. Not a lot of people can love like he can, you know?"

"I know that." He told her with a sigh. "But… I don't think I should be enough for him."

"What do you mean?"

"These guys are pure blooded Mazoku, Kagome," he told her seriously even as he leaned across the window to stare at the night himself. "They can practically live forever. We're only half of them so we can't live that long."

"All the more reason why you should cherish your time with them, right?"

"…I don't want to break his heart…"

"Well that's kinda too late, don't you think?" she rolled her eyes over at him. "Letting him hang on limbo like this is already doing that, the least you could do is offer him happiness while you can."

Yuuri blinked as she pulled away and he settled firmly on his seat as she settled on her former spot. "Are you still thinking about what Waltorana said earlier?"

Her silence was enough of an answer for him.

"Kagome, I told you, forget about it."

"Sorry, I can't," all Yuuri could do was stare at her as she placed her delicate hands on the ledge and leaned against the window, her eyes haunted. "This place… it's every bit as beautiful as I imagined. I always thought, with you as king of this country, you'd make it even more beautiful so long as you don't change. I was right. And now the peace you've built is threatened because of me; because of what I can do."

Yuuri's face became serious at her words. "Stop it. They were exaggerating, we've been through a lot of terrible times and this is no different. We can think of something else."

"But I can save you this time by just doing what they say."

"_This is not up for discussion_!"

They both quieted at his raised voice but Yuuri knew she was far from intimidated. Kagome knew he was upset and she couldn't blame him. Like all the times in their childhood she wanted to tell him everything and have him tell her it would be okay. That he'll do something about it. It was the biggest difference between the both of them, really; the fact that Yuuri could make the impossible possible through sheer force of will was the one thing she wished she could replicate.

_Yuuri…_, she wanted to tell him so bad. _I'm dying… I don't have much time… I'm sorry…_

She had been lucky, so far, that the monthly pain to her chest had been attributed to her injuries, if only they knew.

If only they knew…

"You realize there is no way you can stop me once I've decided to help out, right? You already promised me you'd do what I wanted; you can't go back on your word." She said instead, hating the fact that she was using his promise to get him to allow her to do what she felt was right.

"Do you really want to get involved in all this ugly politics that much?"

"Of course not."

"Then why?"

"Because of you," Yuuri stopped at that and stared at her, his heart feeling hers aching at the sincerity in her soul. "Because your pain is my pain and I know for a fact how much you value your alliances. They're more than allies to you, they're your friends. I've listened to you talk to them with that light in your eyes and… I just know, Yuuri… That it will hurt you if you lose them. And because you're hurt then this will hurt the people around you too.

"How can you ask me not to be concerned when this will obviously hurt you?" she told him softly and he had to back down at her words. He kept nothing from her so he had no defenses from her as well. "The only reason I hesitated in that meeting was because I'm not sure what will happen to me once I step back into the well again."

"W-what do you mean?"

She didn't respond for a while, merely clenched her hands into fists as she looked out into the dark night. And then, all of a sudden, Kagome let go of the window and opened her fists and hugged him tightly, almost desperately, and buried her face into his chest.

"Kagome…?"

"Promise me…" she whispered, her voice muffled by his clothes and Yuuri put his arms around her, her feelings concerning him when it would scare anyone else in his position. "Promise me you will live long and happily, Yuu-chan."

Yuuri glanced at her and smiled through the turmoil of troubling thoughts in his mind. "You're scaring me, you know that?"

Kagome blinked and looked up at him. "Eh? Why?"

The Maou's face turned darkly thoughtful even as he pulled away from her and rested his chin on his forearms laid them on an upraised knee and turned towards his sister. "These days whenever you talk to me it's almost like… you're saying goodbye."

Kagome went perfectly still.

Yuuri clenched his teeth tightly, her reaction not gone unnoticed by him. He wanted to rage and argue with her. He wanted to shake her, hold her and never let her go… But he had learned his lesson well. The more he pulled her back the more she would go forward. His twin was probably the only person in this world he could not control at all since her ideals and his were one and the same but would always be focused on different things. Case in point, they both believed in the value of friendship; problem is he had to apply it here and she needed to apply it in the Feudal Era. The only time they would be in complete sync with each other and allow both of them to focus on anything at the same time was when they were in present day Tokyo living ordinary lives. So unless she came out and said whatever it was that was bothering her he would get no answers or reassurances. Whenever he tried to force them out of her things would just make a turn for the worst.

"Whatever you're hiding from me, Kagome, I'll let you keep. For now," he told her in all seriousness, gaining him her attention. "But if it makes me lose you then you'd better be prepared not to be able to keep it for long."

They stared at each other long and hard after his warning and he was surprised to see no challenge in her eyes, no defiance or the anger he was expecting. Instead what he read there was a warm fondness that he felt seep into his very bones.

It made his heart clench at the loneliness buried underneath it and again he was taken by the almost overwhelming urge to shake her secrets out of her and help her; to be the one to get rid of all her sorrows. "Why are you always doing things alone?"

She blinked at him for a moment before answering. "What do you mean?"

"I know you have friends back in the Feudal Era; and you have me and Murata here. You've got Hube and Yozak and, thanks to that stunt at Elu's birthday party, you almost have everyone willing to do just about anything for you; so why do you always keep things to yourself? Why do you keep doing things alone?"

She blinked at him several times in surprise and Yuuri couldn't blame her as he blushed. It wasn't often that he talked with such insight but since he woke up after using his maryouko to supply her with the necessary energy to fight off the poison in her system eating away at her powers, he felt what was hidden beneath her smiles and her laughter a lot more clearly than before. And he was surprised that, even surrounded by so many people, she still felt so alone.

"I'm sorry," he heard her whisper and looked back at her again. She was now looking out the window. "There are just some things that no one can help me with. I wish… I wish you can help me but you can't; I won't compromise you like that. Here, in this world, you are not my brother; you are King Yuuri, the 27th Maou. You don't even belong to yourself. I'm pretty much in the same situation at Kaede's village; on Earth I could ask you for help on anything and everything but unlike you, I have to carry a memento of the Feudal Era with me so there's still a part of me that I can't share with you back home. It hurts me too to know that you're hurting and I'm the cause of it. Sometimes I just want to take this jewel out of my heart and throw it back to whoever made it and tell them to screw themselves… But I can't. And I can't even wish I could."

Yuuri clenched his teeth as again the chasm of duty distanced her away from him. Maybe he should talk to Murata about this again. After all, if anyone should know anything about the Shikon no Tama, it should be him, right? Maybe he knew how to help Kagome with her burden.

And then she surprised him further when she sat on the ledge beside him and copied his pose. "When did we grow up so much, Yuu-chan; that we can't get into a discussion that doesn't involve life and death anymore? Why can't we just joke around about the stupidest things that don't really matter much like we used to do back then?"

"I don't know," Yuuri laughed, the light tenor in his voice carrying musically across the night air. "I didn't even notice growing up anymore. Everyone has been so kind."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you never grow up," she chuckled. "Remember that time when we were ten and Shouri offered to babysit us while Mom stayed with Grandpa at the hospital after that stroke and Mama and Papa went to Hawaii for their fifteenth anniversary? Souta was so young back then so I doubt he'd remember."

Yuuri snorted, delighted at the memory. "Oh my gosh do I ever? Shouri took us to the carnival with Souta strapped to his back and a diaper bag on his arm and we managed to give him the slip when he agreed to get us ice cream; then we got on the Ferris wheel alone."

"I've never seen him so pissed in my life!" she laughed out loud. "It didn't help that the Ferris wheel malfunctioned and took us two hours before they managed to get us back down!"

"He hugged us so tight while he was scolding us; I thought he was going to cry."

"He did actually."

"Eh?"

"I got up in the middle of the night to get something to drink and I found him sobbing in your bathroom."

"No way how could you keep something like this from me?" Yuuri gasped in mock hurt. "Do you have any idea what beautiful blackmail material that was?"

They shared a good laugh at that and, for a moment, just sat there quietly, enjoying the moment where they could both be alone, secure in one another's company.

"Yuuri?" Kagome broke the silence after a while with her soft voice.

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow, when we go back home… Can I see Mama?" she requested almost shyly.

"Mama… You mean you want to go to my house?" he asked, brows raised.

She nodded a bit shyly. "I kinda… wanna see her. And Shou-nii."

Yuuri couldn't help the smile that wreathed his face when he heard that. He knew that his mother missed her and wanted to make up for all the lost years when she was not able to treat Kagome as her daughter. And he was happy that Kagome had no hard feelings towards their parents. "Sure thing."

His heart lightened a lot more when she returned his smile. "Thanks."

And then they both turned their eyes to the sky and to the stars dancing for them once more in a silence and sense of peace both of them knew better than to take for granted…

/*****/

"S-such pure and honest sibling love…! Don't you think, Gwendal…?"

Gunter turned teary eyes at his friend even as he bit on a piece of his cape to keep himself from sobbing out loud. He had just been listening in on the twins as he hid behind a corner, a hallway away from where they were.

Gwendal sighed heavily, crossed his arms over his chest and turned his face away, a slight blush indicating his embarrassment at witnessing a private moment. They hadn't meant to eavesdrop but they were going to use this hallway to get to the archives for some last minute planning before the Maou and his entourage travelled for Earth tomorrow when they heard the king speaking with his sister.

"Leave them alone, Gunter." The dark Mazoku lord advised while he walked away.

Gunter ran to catch up to him. "It's just so sad…! I often forget that the Maou is still young despite his great ways… and the fact that he might sometimes wish for a normal life but we cannot give it to him!"

"Because we need him; the country needs him and he knows it," Gwendal continued coldly as he walked on. "He knew that when he allowed himself that decision the day he turned sixteen."

"And Lady Kagome… what do you think she's hiding from His Majesty?"

At that, Gunter noticed how Gwendal stopped for a moment before he kept on walking. "Who knows?"

The lilac haired lord then scowled at the general's back. "Honestly, Gwendal, what has gotten into you? Ever since the Lady Kagome woke up you've been so cold and unfeeling! You may act like this sometimes but I have never known you to act so deliberately mean!"

"You should try not to get too attached to people who have no use for our work for the Maou." He heard the broader Mazoku say.

"Gwendal, seriously, what is wrong with you? You are not usually like this!"

"I'm just saying that we do not have to expend useless emotions over people who would not help us in the long run, anyway." He heard the dark lord say in annoyance.

"Useless? You call her contributions to the Maou's and Elu's safety useless?"

The Mazoku general stayed quiet and kept walking. Gunter scowled at his broad back and noted the tension and stiffness in them. Gwendal always took everything so seriously. "I didn't _say_ that..."

"I think you're wrong; and I think Waltorana is on to something about introducing Her Ladyship to the alliance," Gunter told him, effectively stopping his friend in the middle of the corridor. Prussian blue eyes stared back at him in unveiled surprise which the light haired lord could not blame him for. As a pacifist, Gunter had almost never gone against Gwendal's opinions. "It will help us keep the peace and make it easier for us to acquire their help against the rebellion—"

"Are you insane?" Gwendal startled him when the broad Mazoku cut him off, fire sparking in his eyes. "You've heard what His Majesty said; she could get hurt! We do not need another member of this household to welcome any more assassins!"

"We are to protect His Majesty at all costs," Gunter told the other Mazoku firmly. "That protection should extend to all members of the royal household!"

"Our only concern is the _Maou_," Gwendal half snarled at the man but was stopped dead by the serious look on Gunter's fair face. It was the expression Gunter wore whenever he was in battle and it showed an unbendable will and determination yet he was not the Lord von Voltaire for nothing and plodded on in his defense. "And his sister is not even politically significant! She is of no use-"

"Then I will do what I can to _make_ her so," Gunter said firmly before walking away from the still shocked general. "She is a woman of great sense and compassion and she shares the Maou's love for the circle of life. I have seen how far she is willing to go for him and now I hear her own sentiments and never once heard her complain about it out loud; even hesitant to say it to her own brother. I have approved of her and I will make sure no one in this country will ever treat her so cavalierly again. And that includes you, Lord von Voltaire."

All Gwendal could do was stand there, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping in uncharacteristic surprise. When Gunter was finally out of his sight, he smashed a fist at the wall beside him and growled.

What was it about her that made everyone want to protect her? Was it because she was so similar to Yuuri? Oh who was he kidding? He's just as consumed by her as everyone else; probably more so if even the thought of her made him go insane. He wasn't ready to admit that yet but…

'_Sometimes I just want to take this jewel out of my heart and throw it back to whoever made it and tell them to screw themselves… But I can't…'_

'_Stay with me… Inuyasha…'_

"Damn it…!" He wanted to hit his head against the wall.

Why couldn't anyone see that he was just protecting her by steering her away from Waltorana's proposal?

Why couldn't he just get over it? So she prefers to love the man who hurts her, he shouldn't care. This bitterness her words left him was putting a dent on his reasoning and his sanity. He needed a way to cure himself of this before he alienated everyone else. His brother and especially his mother and Annissina won't stay ignorant for long.

"I need more time," he finally muttered as he calmed down with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair as he tiredly leaned against the wall he just abused and looked out into the same night the twins were enjoying. He was a full, adult Mazoku and he should stop being so childish. It was not becoming of him to be so selfish; what would his father think? Kagome didn't mean to do it; she was drugged that night and why should he be angry that she fell in love with such a person? He simply had no right. No right at all. Now if only he could get that into his thick head and stop this infernal sulking, he would be all set. He just wished it was that easy. "Shinou, give me strength…"

/*****/

Lord Heinz Erhardt von Gyllenhaal was a peaceable soul; laid back and relaxed almost to the point of apathy. His von Radford mother had expressed a deep disappointment when, as a young boy, he had failed to acquire her side of the family's staggering intelligence in military tactics. The good woman was even more irritated when he would go off in a day dream in the middle of lectures or his preference to drive his caretakers crazy looking for him whenever he wandered off in their estate to read in a quiet nook only to arrive during meal times.

However, his father was gratified when, from a very young age, he had been dubbed a prodigy of the arts and master of muses all throughout Shin Makoku. Shin Makoku's culture and lore blended into his songs and poetry and books. His efforts and contributions had influenced all the artists in the land so deeply that most of the songs and dances or paintings and poetry were mere copies of his own styles and compositions now… that is until he made a new one.

He did not change in his ways, preferring the stability in which he chose how to spend his free time outside the political meetings and intrigue as well as the duties involved in his position as head of the von Gyllenhaal family.

He did not care for war. In fact, Erhardt had no love for war at all. When Stoffel assumed the Regency, he blended into the background of the Round Table and allowed all the other nobles to fight over the actions taken during that time. His only regret was that he was unable to save Suzannah Julia whom they all loved so much…

So when the next Maou declared he would have no intention of going to war at all, he knew that he had the king he wanted.

Of course, initially, after Shinou disappeared, his loyalty to his childhood friend Waltorana prevailed on his preferences but he held faith and he was not disappointed. He had watched him work and make his dream of a peaceful alliance with the humans a possibility. And he became enamored. Shin Makoku now had the king it needed. Everything was at it should be.

Until she arrived.

Higurashi Kagome.

And now, as suddenly as she had appeared, she was going to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me back to the Feudal Era, Shippou? Don't you want to see Rin-chan and the others again?" she asked the little kit with more than a little hint of concern and uncertainty.

Shippou's face was wreathed into a reassuring grin as he stood before Kagome, his hands over her lap as she engulfed them with hers. "Yes, I'll stay here and wait for you, Kagome! Besides, since Gwendal's leaving with you then I should stay behind and protect Greta so those bad guys won't get her!"

Her eyes darkened with concern and trepidation before she turned the same eyes over to Kirara. "How about you, Kirara? You sure?"

A soft mewl and graceful swish of her tail was the nekomatta's answer.

"She said she didn't want to go through the whole water trip again." Shippou laughed.

"Remember what we talked about, okay?" she chuckled.

Shippou nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mama."

"And take care of Greta for me, alright?"

"Un!"

Erhardt watched her laugh from beside a neutral faced Waltorana. They have spoken of the possibilities of having the Lady Kagome acknowledged by the Royal court and they have both agreed that she would make a great asset in cementing alliances with the other countries as a being that is feared even by the Mazoku. However with their departure things will become shaky once more and now they would have to think of a way to make the other countries forget about what happened in Ichri and acquire new evidence that there are truly people who wanted Sousho back.

He wondered if that was even possible at this point.

The blond man looked over to the side of the fountain where the three sons of the former Maou stood all in white bathrobes; the same one Kagome was currently wearing as she sat by the edge of the fountain talking to her foster child nearest to where he and Waltorana were standing. The Great Sage was talking to Ulrike about something too quietly for anyone else to hear.

Hube and Yozak were listening to Gwendal's last instructions, Conrad was watching over the Maou with a large yellow bag slung over his right shoulder as the king said goodbye to Greta with Gunter sobbing beside him and Wolfram was being hugged to death by his overenthusiastic mother. The other lords have left for their respective estates, Lord von Wincott wanted to stay but word from the von Wincott castle about his wife's apparent illness urged him to go back immediately, apologizing to Kagome before he left last night. Lord von Grantz was recalled by his anxious uncle and also had to leave that night despite his wishes to see the group off.

"I heard they will be using the fountain this time," he told Waltorana as he watched the busy preparations. "His Majesty has come into his power so skillfully that transporting this many people to another dimension will no longer require a huge ceremony in order to ask for Shinou's help."

"You have seen the extent of his powers already," Waltorana answered, arms crossed over his chest and keeping his voice as low as his to prevent others from overhearing them while he watched the proceedings around them. "He is great, after all. However his emotions are too tied among the threads of Lady Kagome's fate. It is fortunate that, as much as he runs out of control when she is hurt she still manages to bring him back again."

"And that is also what makes her so great," Erhardt muttered. "And that is also what makes her so dangerous especially considering her abilities."

"She will not harm him." Waltorana said with surprising firmness.

Erhardt couldn't help but smile. "Since when have you become such a supporter of Lady Kagome, anyway?"

"…I have been watching her."

Erhardt's only response to that admission was a pair of raised brows.

Their long friendship afforded Waltorana an understanding as to what that action meant so he needed no prompting to answer the unspoken question. "She is different from Lord Shouri; she is much more confident in her decisions and possesses the unfaltering morals His Majesty has. She is promising for Shin Makoku's future ventures into this problem with Sousho and I plan to make full use of that. She will make a perfect shield for His Majesty the Maou."

Erhardt frowned at this, disapproval radiating off of him.

"You do not approve?"

"How can you ask me to approve of something so deceitful? Especially to a woman?"

"…She has yet to prove herself, she has not interacted with us long; we will see how far she will be able to go."

That stole a smile from the longer haired Mazoku lord. One reason why he liked spanking Wolfram back when he was smaller was because he reminded him so much of Waltorana when they were children and his actions, even when he was showing leniency, remained gruff and cute. It amused him no end.

"Kagome? You ready?" they heard the Maou call from the fountain; the three brothers with their swords now and the Great Sage already standing beside him in the water.

"Give me a minute!" she called back before surprising them by walking towards the two lords and bowing her head to them politely with Shippou beside her, Kirara on his shoulder, and a string of what looked like polished wooden beads around her neck. All they could do was stare at her; Erhardt with surprised eyes and Waltorana with a light, aloof glare daring her to say what she wanted. "Your Excellencies, I'm glad you're here to see us off."

Waltorana's nose was instantly up in the air. "This is our Maou, once again leaving for Earth. Since we have the time we should show our respect for him by seeing him at the beginning of this journey."

"And he's also worried about Wolfram." Erhardt chuckled, ignoring his best friend's annoyed glare.

"Anyway," she continued as she tried to hide her smile. "About the proposal you mentioned yesterday; I just want you to know I will be thinking about it."

This stopped both lords in their tracks as they both stared at her with raised brows.

Kagome continued. "I am unable to give you a direct response now since I'm not really sure if I'll be able to make it out of my own world in one piece because of what I'll need to do there but I just want you to know that if I do I will come back and we will discuss this more."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Waltorana asked her with narrowed eyes.

Erhardt glanced at him. Was Waltorana actually _worried_ about her?

Her ebony ones hooded at the question and she bowed again. "If I don't make it back with Yuuri then let Shippou help. He specializes in illusions, we've already discussed what he needs to do, but don't tell Yuuri yet; not until it's absolutely necessary."

The von Bielefeld lord scowled at her. "You dare ask us to keep secrets from our Maou?"

"No," she answered firmly. "I'm asking you to protect him. Even if it is from the shadows like you always do."

"Hmph," Waltorana huffed, turning away from her with his nose up high. "Do not mistake me for Lord von Voltaire, _girl_. I do not need to skulk in the shadows to be able to protect my king."

"Don't mistake Gwendal's strategy for dishonor; I'm betting he's saved far more lives than you have ever done in your lifetime living in those shadows than you ever had fighting on a battlefield," her biting comment earned her both lords' serious attentions. She met both their eyes with such fierce defiance they almost thought they were looking at Yuuri. "Tell me, would your boldness protect the king from himself?"

Both lords were silenced at this and automatically grappled with replies but she was already turning away.

"Like I said, I'll give you an answer if I come back; please take care of yourselves, Your Excellencies…" and with one last pat on Shippou's shoulder, she started walking towards Yuuri. As soon as she reached him, she turned around to look at the assembled people there to see them off and bowed. "Thank you so much for taking good care of me, everyone. I will never forget your kindness."

"Lady Kagome…!" Gunter wailed.

"Come back and play again, Aunt Kagome!" Greta called, crying as she did so.

They all watched the king wave them goodbye as his other arm wrapped itself around Kagome's waist before the water in the fountain whirled and the air around them turned thick with condensation so concentrated it made their skins feel sticky and their breathing turn a little shallow at it usually did whenever they came close to the Maou's display of power. After a moment the water swallowed all six into the fountain and the air started to clear again.

Shippou's cheerful smile evaporated along with the mists in the courtyard earning him the instant attention of both blond lords.

"You," Waltorana raised a blond brow at him. "Your name is Shippou, am I right?"

Shippou looked up at him, curious and surprisingly appraising. "Yeah? So what's it to ya?"

"Hmph, and ill mannered too," Waltorana sneered although it did not escape his notice how the boy was eyeing them. "He needs to be educated if he wishes to be worthy of being the son of the Maou's sister."

"Watch it, blondie, or I'll burn your eyebrows off!" Shippou threatened, displeased at the insult.

"Now, now, Waltorana, he's just a child," Erhardt chided his friend, knowing his sandy blond counterpart was seeing what he was seeing in the boy as well before smiling down at the little kitsune sincerely. "You seem to love your mother very much."

Shippou relaxed his stance and nodded up at the tall Mazoku solemnly. "Of course; Kagome saved me and helped me avenge my father. She's my Mama."

"Oh? Then why aren't you going with her then?"

A darkness passed over the bright green eyes on his face as he responded. "Because I know that if I stay here she'll have to come back."

This response made the two lords glance at each other in a mixture of confusion and even more surprise. These were not words they expected from a child.

Waltorana looked down at the boy and glared suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

Shippou's face darkened a bit more and looked back at the fountain with a determined glare before answering. "I just think… that she should belong here."

Erhardt watched as Waltorana stared at Shippou like hawk… before he gave that approving nod he knew so well.

"Oi, Gunter," Waltorana called the lilac haired lord over haughtily, a hand on his hip and snobbish frown on his face. "I want to take over this boy's magic tutoring."

Gunter looked as though he were struck by lighting, he couldn't move. When he was reminded that he could speak all he could manage was one breathy word. "Eh…?"

Erhardt chuckled even as Waltorana rolled his eyes at the lilac haired Mazoku and started dragging a confused Shippou away.

/*****/

"GYAAAHHHH!"

Wolfram could honestly say that he really hated travelling through dimensions using Yuuri's mode of transportation but knew that because of the pact Yuuri had made earlier on in his stay in Shin Makoku it couldn't be helped. Water was his element and the catalyst he was most comfortable with; using any other sort of medium to transport so many people all at the same time would have been dangerous if not suicidal so he was not going to complain. The important thing is that they were here.

The strange, glossy, perfectly white tiles of the Shibuya household registered in his eyes once he stopped coughing water and he could see there were more towels hanging over the racks that hung by the door. He looked around to his left and there, choking on his own spit was Yuuri hanging over the bathtub with Murata not far from his side. Conrad was panting with his back to them, trying to get his breath back even as he clutched at the backpack Yuuri brought back with him when he fetched Shippou and Kirara. Everything seemed normal until the blond glanced to his right and what he saw made his emerald eyes widen into saucers.

Because on the farthest edge of the tub, right against the rim, lay his oldest brother's almost half naked body… slumped over Kagome; his left arm holding her close to his body in an intimate hug while his right hand kept her head from hitting the rim of the porcelain tub! Now in any other circumstance that shouldn't be a problem and should not be a cause of embarrassment for him; Gwendal of course would try to help anyone from getting hurt especially if they're female but… Kagome's robe was pushed partway down exposing some of her breasts to the older Mazoku and he was kneeling in between her exposed and raised knees. For anyone who saw this, it would look as thought they were in the middle of the 'act'.

It didn't help that his brother was staring at Kagome's coughing face with stunned, disbelieving, wanting eyes and a blush on his cheeks. And Kagome, finally noticing, looked back flustered and embarassed. They just lay there and… stared at each other and Wolfram blinked… Was it his imagination or could he see a connection between them? Like a little red thread…?

"Umm….. thanks…" he heard Kagome say breathlessly before trying to free herself from the Mazoku lord.

It pulled Gwendal from whatever daze he was in and he pulled back from her, still flushed.

Kagome was the first one out of the tub, rearranging her robe to hide her exposure and how flustered she was. "Wow; sure is rough riding on the Maou airlines."

"I… cough… don't want to… cough… hear that from a person who uses a well to travel through time!" Yuuri sputtered at her as he too followed her and took a towel from the door.

"Now, now," Ken managed to get out, also standing from the tub. "Play nice, children."

"You guys, better get, dried up; I'll see about scrounging up some clothes for you guys from Shouri and Dad's room." Yuuri said as he took a towel to his hair. It was then that he noticed Wolfram had yet to come out of the tub. "Wolf, are you alright?"

"Uh, yeah; of course I am!" Wolfram felt uncomfortable that he was the only one who noticed anything at all so he pretended nothing was amiss.

"Yuuri, I'm going to have to bother you for some of your clothes too." Kagome called over to her brother.

"Ah! Oh yeah! Sure, Kagome, you can change in my ro—"

"KAGOME? YUU-CHAN?"

Everyone stared as Shouri appeared like magic as soon as Yuuri touched the knob of the bathroom to leave and fetch the promised clothes. The older Shibuya son entered with fierce eyes that immediately homed in on the twins both of which were standing close to each other. For a moment, all three parties could do was stare at each other.

Of course that was before Shouri exploded into a whirlwind of movement and swiped the twins into his protective embrace as though they were just a couple of rag dolls, already in full Protective Big Brother mode. "_Just what are you guys planning to do with my precious Kagome and Yuu-chan?_"

Everyone in the room sweat dropped.

"Come on, Shouri, don't start." Yuuri tried to calm his older brother down, his voice muffled into Shouri's shirt.

"A lot has happened." Conrad gave him a polite nod of the head.

"No kidding, I knew I felt something," the oldest Shibuya sibling suddenly became serious, garnering everyone's attention immediately at his tone as he stared at the Great Sage fiercely. "Care to explain, Friend of My Brother?"

Ken sighed at this reaction but smiled. "Relax and we'll give you the details, Brother of My Friend."

"Oniichan," Kagome's soft voice sounded off from under the taller Shibuya's arm. "Maybe you should let us get dressed first?"

Shouri looked down at his little sister's sweat dropping and blushing face before snatching her by the shoulders and freeing Yuuri in the process. "Kagome! You're okay! Did you get hurt back there? Did Yuuri take care of you? Do you need me to kill someone? Oh my precious little Kagome!"

Yuuri sweat dropped at his twin's chagrined expression and shrugged. "Better you than me."

She glared back at him. "…Traitor."

"Shou-chan? Is that them?" no sooner had the call reached them when Shibuya Miko rounded up the corner and clapped delightedly when she saw her only daughter in her eldest's arms. She practically threw Shouri off Kagome to embrace her excitedly. "_Kagome-chan_!"

Everyone watched the miko's face transform into a smile of pure relief that practically melted all over her body at the touch of the older woman's warmth as she sank into her mother's embrace. "Hi, Mama… I missed you…"

All the men in the room did not fail to notice the burst of moisture that practically exploded in Miko's eyes at her words even as her lower lip trembled and her arms tightened around her only daughter for a moment longer before finally pulling her an arms length away and gave her a cheerful smile.

"Me too; now let's get you dressed, alright?" she turned towards the boys unable to keep her wide smile hidden. "I'll leave our guests to you, Yuu-chan, Shou-chan; I need to get something for Kagome to wear."

At that, Kagome practically stiffened in her mother's hands, a look of sheer dread on her face. "M-mama… please don't do anything drastic…"

"Oh what are you talking about?" Miko laughed at the young woman, oblivious to her unease. "Come on, I have the perfect dress you can wear! It's one of my vintage dresses but I think it will fit you very well!"

They all watched as Kagome was dragged along but the raven haired woman looked back at her brothers with wide, helpless eyes as she realized what her mother was planning. "Help meee…!"

Wolfram blinked, a little bit worried as Kagome's voice faded. "What was that all about? She looked… scared."

"Uh…" Yuuri scratched his chin sheepishly at the question. "Let's just say that I now know why she liked dressing me up in girl's clothes when I was a kid."

"Come on, let's go to my room to get you guys some clothes; and then after that I will want an explanation." Shouri told them sternly as he led them towards his rooms, his face almost dangerously serious. "Let's start with why you took Kagome to Shin Makoku in the first place."

Yuuri nodded from beside him, his face also serious and nodded to Murata. They decided to only give the family the edited version of what happened. "Sure; I'm just not sure you'll like it though, Shouri."

Wolfram almost winced in preparation for the assault on his ears. Although his older brothers appeared to be much more composed, he knew that they knew Shouri could be as loud as Annisina and exasperating as Gunter all in one package. He'd be surprised if the night ended without some form of violence.

Shinou save them all.

/*****/

Shibuya Miko fairly twitched in happiness as she combed back her daughter's dark, luxurious hair. It was thick and smooth despite her constant exposure to the sun during her travels; probably because of the vast amount of shampoo Aki had told her about. How she longed for these kinds of moments between a mother and a daughter. How she ached whenever she would see Kagome back then and knew she could never come out and tell her she was actually hers. How she always held Yuuri close and never Kagome because she knew if she held the girl back then she would never be able to let go.

When Yuuri finally took the throne as Maou she then set out and made plans to tell Kagome the truth because now that Yuuri's secret was out in the open, she could finally offer her daughter a proper explanation and beg for forgiveness; but other than Shouri's mini explosion Kagome had been gracious. More than gracious. She welcomed them with wide open arms, made a point to include her in her life and loved them even if she refused to stay with them and stay with Aki instead. Her older sister did well in raising her and Miko made sure she was never left out in anything that involved Kagome and vice versa.

In return for her explanation and a show of trust, Kagome and Aki then explained to them about her obligations and adventures in the Feudal Era. Since then she had been closer to her daughter and accepted the obligation she felt towards the Shikon no Tama. She was even proud of her. She was blessed with remarkable children indeed and it made her giddy that she was mother to two Maous and a miko. And their closeness allowed her to read her daughter's weariness.

And like the good mother that she was, she sought to lighten that weariness.

"Well then, Kagome-chan! I can't wait to dress you up!" Miko began in her perky voice as usual as she combed through all the tangles in the younger woman's hair. "I swear I have the perfect dress for you! It was a souvenir from when we lived back in the United States and I thought, when I have a daughter I'm definitely making her wear that!"

Kagome face faulted. "You mean you hadn't been able to get Yuuri to wear it yet?"

The older woman's tinkling laughter filled the room and as always, Kagome felt her heart lighten at the sound. "Mou, I don't understand how that boy turned out the way he did! I raised him to be a proper, well behaved child and now look; all he does is baseball outside school! It's a good thing you're here now and I can take you shopping with me!"

"…This dress you're talking about doesn't have any angel wings at the back, does it?"

"OH!" Miko's eyes fairly glittered at the thought. "That would be _so_ nice!"

"Mama, please stop thinking creepy thoughts?"

Her Aunt Aki which she also considers a mother in all respects have been a great parent and had always been supportive of her even though all this time she was only her niece biologically and Kagome loved as though she gave birth to her. But something about Shibuya Miko had a way of creeping up on her and Kagome had always known that this other formidable woman in her life would be a permanent fixture in her world.

When she learned of Shibuya Miko's existence, she started comparing her with her foster mother, Higurashi Aki. Both were independent women but Miko was a lot more carefree and harder to take seriously than Aki. But despite all that Miko was like the sun while Aki was like the moon. They personified these objects well and both of them were equally precious to Kagome because they balanced each other out. It helped that both of them loved her unconditionally.

The calm and the passionate; the serene and the wild; the stable and the unpredictable. These personified both her mothers too well.

"What's on your mind, dear?" Miko asked suddenly, breaking their sudden peaceful silence.

Kagome smiled at her through the mirror of her dresser and Miko returned it. "How can you and Mom always tell?"

Miko dropped the brush on the dresser and hugged her from behind. "Because Aki and I are both your mothers."

The younger woman chuckled a bit and leaned into the hug. "Mama, I won't be staying long; I'll be leaving again soon. I need to see… Inuyasha…"

Miko had fallen in love with her husband so many times during their married life and had more than one fight with him about almost everything under the sun so she had an idea just where this was going. She had known about Kagome's feelings for the half demon and frankly, it was all she could do to convince Shouma not to kill him. "Was that the reason why Yuu-chan took you to Shin Makoku? So you won't be able to see him anymore?"

Kagome pouted. "He can be worse than Shouri sometimes. It doesn't help that he gets his own castle and guards, either."

Her mother laughed. "Welcome to my life."

"I suppose Yuu-chan had a good reason," the younger woman admitted grudgingly. "Kikyou wanted to take my life, even went so far as to team up with other dark miko and even demons to get at my soul. Did you know that Yuuri can travel through time now, by the way? Ken-chan said it was only because of my presence that he could follow me through it but I guess that's not the point. Yuuri saved me. He almost lost me but he healed me with his maryouko. He told me Inuyasha came and sided with Kikyou although that shouldn't be a surprise… he loves her, after all; he chose her."

Miko hugged her tighter; feeling a mother's resentment for this Inuyasha person but knew better than to say it. Not yet anyway. She needed to listen. Although she liked plowing on ahead when her husband and sons hesitated she knew being able to listen was the key to a woman's heart.

Her smile brought on an answering one on Kagome's lips before it wavered and faded away as she clung to her hug and released all the pain and the anguish she had kept bottled inside that she never dared show to anyone else. "I just want him to be happy…"

The Shibuya matriarch was proud of her daughter. She had grown up strong and loving and extremely generous. She thanked God everyday that she had left her under Aki's care.

But why? Why must her only daughter be so unlucky in love?

Miko burned inside at that very thought, fiercely imagining this Inuyasha person being beaten by her best broom.

"Don't worry, Kagome!" instantly she was up in arms, unable to take it any longer; a bucket over her head and a broom in her hands. "I'll punish that punk for hurting you!"

"Mama!" Kagome groaned in alarm, wondering if her mother had some miko powers herself since she never saw where the broom or the bucket came from. "You can't do that!"

Miko sighed, knowing her daughter was right and knelt in front of her, taking her face in her hands. "Is it still true? What you want for him?"

Kagome, seeing her mother had reverted back to a semblance of sanity, calmed down and smiled faintly before nodding. "Absolutely. Is it wrong for me to want that, Mama? Even if Yuuri disagrees with me?"

"Well, Yuuri isn't exactly you; and I think you already know the answer to that question yourself," Miko caressed the younger woman's smooth cheek lovingly. "Ah, my daughter's in love. When you're in love you need to do your best and give it all you've got not matter what anyone says! If you're able to win that fight then be happy and cherish that happiness. If you lose then don't forget to move on. Being bitter towards the one you love will only prove how unworthy you are of him."

Kagome's smile trembled and she leaned in and buried her face against her mother's shoulder. She was so warm… "Thanks, Mama. I just wanted to hear that from you."

Miko's heart overflowed with happiness that her daughter wanted to hear comforting words from her, it made feel so needed and it was what she wanted the most. To be needed by her children especially this one who had known her only recently. It only made her flare up about Inuyasha even more.

"But if you ever have the chance to hit him on the head then do it!" Miko couldn't help but say as she raised a fist in the air while still hugging Kagome.

The younger girl laughed. Her biological mother was so aggressive. "He had Kikyou remove the beads so I can't sit him anymore; I'll probably try that then."

"That's my girl!" oh how she had always dreamed about being able to say that! "Say, you know what? Before any girl confronts the man who turned her down she needs to be able to feel good about herself and get her composure back to show him she's not so pathetic so why don't we catch the last of the cherry blossoms at Ueno tonight as a family? They set up an amusement park there recently so we can show Wolfram and the others around while we shop?"

Kagome sniffed and hugged her mother tightly before finally letting go. "That sounds like a great idea, Mama."

Miko squealed and quickly stood up to prepare. She will make sure her daughter would be the prettiest girl around. No matter what her boys said.

/*****/

"I'm home!"

Shibuya Shouma thought it strange that, whenever something significant or strange happened in his household, he would always find a way to come home early. So when he found himself with absolutely nothing to do an hour before he was supposed to go home, he just knew something happened. So it was with a cheerful smile that he said goodbye to his boss at the bank and got into his car and took a peaceful drive home.

He was not mistaken.

"Well, I see you've come to visit again," he greeted the three men in his living room all dressed in either his, Shouri or Yuuri's clothing. "Welcome back."

Conrad immediately nodded to him politely, his pleasant smile in place wearing one of Shouri's older plain white shirts and an open black bomber jacket matched by denim jeans. "Thank you for having us again."

"Sorry for Intruding." Gwendal intoned as he leaned against his wall, his arms crossed over his chest wearing one of Shouma's newer dark blue shirts stretched thinly across his much broader frame and his knee length khaki trench coat with a pair of his sand brown slacks.

Mentally Shouma said goodbye to that shirt. The last time Gwendal wore any of his clothes; it wouldn't fit him anymore because it had been too stretched out.

"How are you, Father?" Wolfram greeted him much more energetically in Yuuri's long sleeved orange and blue shirt and an old pair of olive green cargo pants.

Now all of this he can take with an equanimity most fathers would find hard to understand but then again he _had_ prepared himself a long time ago for these kinds of events after he found out he was going to be the father of Shin Makoku's new Maou. What had taken him aback once he looked for his family, however, was the scene presented by his sons and his son's known best friend in his living room.

Because at that moment, his eldest had his hands around said younger son's best friend's neck with his younger son trying to pry his older brother's hands from around abovementioned best friend's neck and now said best friend was fighting for his life.

"Shouri…?" Shouma began tentatively as he watched his oldest son in the act of murder.

Having two boys the way he had, one can't stop them from roughhousing every now and then. But at the moment, his eldest had the look of a homicidal maniac.

"Hi, Dad." Shouri greeted grimly without missing a beat, not even looking in his direction as he remained in his position.

"Yuuri?"

"Hi, Dad; can't talk; must… not… let… Shouri… kill… friend…!" Yuuri yelled back at him through gritted teeth as he tried to pull his older brother off a choking Murata.

"Erm… Shou-chan, I don't think the people would find it good if the current Metropolitan governor committed murder in his own parents' house…" Shouma started faintly, sweat dropping.

"Just what. Were. You. Guys. _Thinking_?" Shouri yelled. "You let her get WHAT? And then she WHAT? And now you're going to let her do WHAT?"

"Brother… of… My… Friend…" Ken choked, his eyes already crossing behind his glasses. "It's… not… like… we planned… it…!"

"You guys were supposed to be looking after her!" Shouri yelled louder, shaking Ken up a little more.

"Shouri! What in the world?" running steps sounded off from the stairs, getting their attention. They gaped when Kagome materialized there in a fine rage, her hands on her hips and glaring fierce ebony eyes at her older brother who still had his hands around Ken's neck. "You let Ken-chan go this instant or I swear I'll kick you where the sun doesn't shine! You _know_ I'll do it!"

Ken was free in less than a heartbeat.

But everyone wasn't focused on the near crime but at Kagome who was now in front of Shouri poking a tiny finger onto his chest like a tiny fiery hummingbird attacking a baboon.

"Seriously, what were you _thinking_?" she continued to scold her older brother angrily. "You could have killed him, idiot!"

"But- but, Kagome—"

"I _don't_ want to hear it!"

Wolfram blinked several times at the scene along with his brothers. "She's… different here."

And she was.

She was much more vibrant and expressive and unlike the reserved, calm young woman they had known her to be while she was staying with them at Shin Makoku. Although they have gotten glimpses of her fiery personality she had burned up for very valid reasons but she never wasted her anger.

But now she was bullying her older brother.

"It's probably because she has no reason to keep herself so composed," Conrad answered after a while. "She has no obligations holding her down here; this is her home."

Gwendal nodded, silently agreeing.

Yuuri laughed, gaining their attention. "That's actually pretty usual. It takes a while to get her pissed off but if you do then you'd better be ready to face hell. That incident when she nearly burned my hair off was no joke."

His laughter seemed to have woken Shouri up from his younger sister's attack and launched into an assault of his own as he gaped dumbfounded at his sister. "WHAT in the WORLD are you WEARING?"

"Eh?" Kagome looked down at herself and so did everyone else.

She was wearing a knee length prairie dress in blue and floral print, the straps tied to her shoulders exposing her smooth skin and forelegs down to her feet encased in a pair of two inch cork wedges with blue and white straps. Her hair was pulled back in a low, loose braid, the tail end hanging over her right shoulder and around her neck… were Inuyasha's wooden beads. It was simple enough; they had all seen dresses that were much more extravagant and expensive. But on her the dress was just… priceless…

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Ken pulled his glasses up, leaning close to Kagome as though to inspect the dress better. "The color actually suits her very nicely since she's paled a lot back at the castle."

"Very true," Conrad nodded, smiling gently at the young woman in a way that would have made a lot of girls faint. "This is very refreshing for you."

She blushed and tried to be gruff about it. "What_ever_!"

"If Gunter sees you in this," Wolfram nodded. "He'll be planning your wardrobe for the rest of his life, right, Big Brother?"

Wolfram turned to his oldest brother with a laugh but was stopped when he saw Gwendal's eyes trained on Kagome's form in a bitter, almost angry daze. It looked as though he were clenching his fists as well since they were turning white.

His thoughts, though, were interrupted when Shouma spoke again. "Kagome, you look lovely, my dear."

She turned towards him and smiled warmly before rushing over to give him a hug. "Papa!"

Shouma hugged her tightly and looked at his wife standing at the foot of the stairs, tears peeking underneath her eyelids as she smiled back at him. A silent communication crossed between them and knew they were both happy. It still made them feel guilty just how easy Kagome forgave them for abandoning her in favor of Yuuri but they could both accept the fact that she was a good girl, and they were willing to take what she offered. He was infinitely glad that Kagome was raised as just as good a girl as their sons.

"It's been a while since I've seen you," he patted her on top of the head, taking care of her hair lest his wife murder him in his sleep. "It's been a while since you came to visit; how's school?"

"Still as busy as ever," she grinned up at him with a laugh. "It's been fun, though."

"HEY!" Shouri jumped in between Kagome and the three guests all of a sudden, his stance protective and fierce like a possessive dog. "_Take your filthy eyes off my sister_!"

She and Yuuri sweat dropped. "Come on, Shouri, don't be like that, they're guests for crying out loud!"

"Oi, Shouri, you're being a pest." Yuuri rolled his eyes at him.

"I don't care, _no one's_ touching _my_ sister!" he growled.

"Mama! Shouri's acting like an idiot again!"

"Now, now, Shou-chan," Miko scolded her oldest son, her finger wagging under his nose. "Stop bothering your sister."

"But, Mom—"

"And it's Mama, Shou-chan, Mama! How many times do I have to tell you?" their mother continued to scold him. "I don't care if you're Metropolitan governor now, you are in my house and you are still my son and you will _behave_!"

Shouri pouted. "…Yes, Mom."

"It's _Mama_!"

Kagome and Yuuri both stuck their tongues out at their older brother mischievously from behind their mother's back and he glared at them, Miko not able to notice since she was shaking her head at the floor probably wondering what she did wrong when she raised him.

Shouma smiled warmly at his family's antics and contentment seeped into his soul. Never had he felt happier in his life. The last time he was this happy, he married Miko.

"Ah, Shouma," his wife approached him while Yuuri and Kagome continued to tease Shouri who was now sulking where he stood. "Kagome and I wanted to eat out with the whole family and our guests. Let's go to Ueno and check out the last of the cherry blossoms tonight."

"That's a great idea!" Shouma lit up. "Well since we're all dressed up then let's go. Go on and change Kagome."

"Eh?" his daughter turned to him, confused. "I thought Mama said I was already dressed."

Shouma looked at the young woman and noted how the dress fitted her so nicely and how she moved with an innocent yet sensual allure and could picture all the lascivious looks she would be getting. He immediately turned red with rage. "_Absolutely not_!"

"Dad's right! No way!" Shouri was immediately beside him.

"That's going too far!" Yuuri added right beside his older brother, apparently thinking the same thing.

"Do you have any idea how many guys would take advantage of you dressed the way you are?" Shouma practically yelled, smoke blowing out of his nose at the thought.

"Their filthy eyes will be all over you!" Shouri nodded, firm in his belief. "You should go put on a jacket. A large one! And socks too."

"And you should wear a cap!" Yuuri added fiercely. "And mittens! Thick ones!"

Mother and daughter face faulted.

"You're kidding me." Kagome said wryly.

"Men." Miko rolled her eyes at her husband and sons.

"I think you should be proud of how Kagome looks, Papa, Yuuri, Brother of my Friend," Murata suddenly said, pushing his glasses up his nose with his usual innocent, charming smile, effectively taking all the attention. "After all, not all fathers and brothers are blessed with such a lovely sister and daughter, you'll be the envy of the city. Besides with Lord von Voltaire, Sir Weller and Sir von Bielefeld with us, I think there's nothing much anyone else would be able to do but stare at her."

"Oh, Ken-chan you are always so reasonable and right! Unlike _some_ people I know," Miko glared at her flinching men folk who froze at her stare. "And if they're so against us going then we'll just go on without them. Come on, Kagome."

"W-wait! Honey!" Shouma started following after his wife like a lost puppy.

"I didn't hear anything!" she called back, already leading Kagome outside with Ken following them.

The Shibuya patriarch could do nothing but sigh in defeat as his wife and daughter bulldozed over his decision but turned wryly back at Gwendal and the others. "Well I guess that's that. Come on then before my bride decides she wants to drive the car. I don't want to be a widower yet. Shou-chan, take Gwendal and the others in your car, will you?"

"What? Why me? I'm the Metropolitan governor!"

"Tell that to your mother."

/*****/

They were greeted by a blizzard of falling petals.

Gwendal and his brothers could do nothing but gape at the wondrous sight before them and silently agreed. It was one of the most beautiful sights they have ever seen in their lives.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Yuuri said and all three of them looked down at their young king who was staring at the sight right beside them. "Gets like this every year. My mother and I love it. It's a little late this year, though."

"It's beautiful, Yuuri…" Wolfram whispered in awe as he stared at the scene. "And look! Look, over there!"

Everyone did and a huge Ferris wheel stood against the night sky; its lights like multi colored jewels hanging from the darkness of the sky.

"A Ferris wheel," Shouri answered him smugly. "It was just recently completed in the interest of promoting more than just carousing and noise making during the flower viewing festival. We call it the Date Wheel."

"Date Wheel…?" Wolfram asked in complete awe.

"There are fifteen carriages and each carriage plays a soft love song of its own and changes as the wheel goes around until the ride ends. Each song would play for about 5 minutes if well rounded off," Shouri explained to a fascinated blond. "It takes fifteen minutes to complete the entire ride. If you're lucky enough, someone would even set fireworks in the distance. It's very ideal for dates or just to relax. Why don't you guys go ahead and look it up with Kagome? Yuuri and I need to talk a bit."

Conrad and Wolfram looked a bit wary about leaving Yuuri but a nod from the king made them move away. Wolfram was now happily chatting with Miko and Kagome while Conrad still stayed close but far enough not to hear the brothers' conversation. Gwendal, in the meantime, trailed after his parents and Kagome discreetly although his eyes would sometimes wander over to the different arrays of souvenirs scattered around.

"Ha! No one can resist my greatest achievement!" Shouri bragged as he watched them and leaned back against a wide Sakura tree, Yuuri and Ken sitting on the grass at his feet.

With the festival practically over and it being a school night to boot there really wasn't a lot of people in the place but the park was still in full swing.

"Stop that, Shouri, you sound like you built that thing." Yuuri scowled at him, feeling a bit jealous for some reason.

"In a way I did," the older Shibuya brother said with a cocky flick of his hair. "I donated it with some of Bob's petty cash and made it easier for me to gain popularity for the elections."

"You WHAT? Does Bob even know that?"

"Of course he does, he's my main sponsor."

"And you never told me?"

"Well what would you know about politics here, huh?"

Yuuri pouted. "No fair…"

Shouri merely ruffled his hair much to the younger man's annoyance. "Hey, I'm the Maou of Earth so let me take care of things here. You've got your own job at Shin Makoku."

Yuuri shot him a wry smile at that. "Yeah, I remember."

"More importantly," Shouri then became much more solemn as he frowned. "What should we do about Kagome?"

"There's nothing you _can_ do," Yuuri replied tiredly as they followed after the rest of his family, his mother excitedly pointing out the few stalls left in the park from the previous festival and his father glaring at anyone who did so much as a double take on Kagome who, in turn, was caught in between them humoring his parents. "I've already tried the extreme and it hadn't worked."

"Maybe I should just lock her up and throw away the key!" Shouri said with a determined glint in his eye.

"Been there, done that," Ken chuckled from Yuuri's other side. "Didn't work."

"It ended up with the mess I told you about earlier," Yuuri agreed. "They couldn't stop me from taking her back here but I'm pretty sure I'm in for a lot of pain when I return if I want to fix that mess up."

"Damn it, why did she have to get involved?"

"Things would have been a lot harder for Yuuri if she hadn't interfered."

"Shut up, I'm not done with you yet." Shouri glared at the bespectacled leech his little brother and sister called a friend.

Said leech merely smiled back at him, obviously unintimidated and even appearing amused by his threats. It made Shouri's blood boil.

"That's not the point right now, Shouri," Yuuri waved the older man's attention away from his best friend. "The point is that she wants to go back to the Feudal Era to meet with Inuyasha. Looks like she thinks he's in trouble or something."

"I won't let her!"

"I'd like to see you try," Both Shibuyas looked down at Murata whose smile turned a little wry. "You guys keep forgetting the fact that she can be a force of nature if she wanted to. If she wants to go back to see Inuyasha, there won't be anything you guys can do to stop her."

"So what are you proposing we do, Friend of my Brother?" Shouri growled at Murata.

"We make sure she'll be safe when she goes there," Ken told them simply. "It's the reason why Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram are here."

Shouri raised a brow at that and turned back to his younger brother. "That true?"

"I don't see any other way," Yuuri nodded eyes hardening in resolution. "I am _not_ going to let him hurt her again."

Shouri scowled thoughtfully for a while before breaking the silence. "Then I'm coming with you."

"EHH?" Ken and Yuuri both cried out in unison.

Shouri glared at the both of them. "What's the matter? She's my little sister and it's my duty as her older brother to hurt the guy who made her suffer like that!"

"Eheh, that's all good and nice but wouldn't that be a hassle to your duties as Metropolitan governor?" Ken reasoned with him.

"Why?" Shouri blinked. "Surely it's no different from when I'm travelling to Shin Makoku."

"The well can only travel back in time, it can't bend it the same way I can," Yuuri smiled apologetically back at his brother. "It's not something I can control. If it weren't for the fact that Kagome's on the other side I doubt it would even let me pass through."

"Damn it!" Shouri cursed in frustration at the realization. "I can't believe I won't be able to help her in her hour of need! Just when I'm able to control my powers better!"

"It's fine, Shouri," Yuuri consoled him. "She knows we care about her. Let's just be there when she comes to us; I'm sure it'll be fine."

"That's the problem," Shouri sighed in frustration. "Because we know she'd never ask."

All of them fell silent at the truth behind this statement. Kagome had gone on by herself so long so asking for help had been an alien concept. It hurt but they understood. It was going to take some time.

Privately Yuuri congratulated himself for listening to Murata when he advised him to only tell Shouri about the mishaps with Inuyasha and not the ones at Shin Makoku. If Shouri knew they knew he'd be able to find a way to go with back to Shin Makoku and tear the place to pieces.

/*****/

"Hey there, cutie, what about a date?"

Kagome turned and almost twitched at the sight of a couple of older guys leering at her. They smelled strongly of alcohol so they were probably drunk and decided to pick up girls. She mentally sighed thinking it may have been better if she didn't decide to escape her mother's clutches from having her try on that revolting looking neon green dress with all the sequins and the feathers. She was going to owe her father one for distraction her mother like that so she could get away.

"No thanks." She answered the men as politely as she could.

"Hey come on, we're just going to go drinking!" one of them said, catching her by the wrist.

"And I said I'm not interested so please let go before I scream." She threatened, unafraid since the place was fairly public.

"You heard her," a voice cold enough to restock the North Pole with ice sliced between them and Kagome turned to see Gwendal glaring at the men who were trying to harass her. "Let her go."

"Well look, here's a hero!" laughed the other guys coarsely. "Go away, bastard!"

Gwendal calmly stepped towards the man who still held Kagome, took a hold of his wrist and, in one single movement, twisted it around making the man yelp in pain.

"AUGHHH! DAMN YOU!"

Gwendal pushed him away and the man landed against his suddenly petrified companion and met their gazes with a frosty stare. "Go away."

"Y-yes! We're sorry!" they both squeaked as they ran away, their voices breaking.

Gwendal watched them leave with grim satisfaction, the sight doing little to calm the rage boiling inside him the moment he saw Kagome being manhandled like that. He actually wished those two had put up a fight; then at least he would have had some sort of reason to vent. Having no more outlets for his frustrations, he transferred his glare to Kagome. "Why didn't you use your powers against them?"

She blinked back at him, cutting her eyes off from watching her two would be harassers short. "My powers only work on demons, not people. If they did I would only be able to use healing on them and I'm not feeling very generous at the moment."

He was taken aback by this statement. So she wasn't a bleeding heart like Yuuri? "I… see."

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I thought you weren't talking to me?"

The soft question made him look down beside him and was greeted by her wide ebony eyes. The lanterns hanging on the tree branches gave the remaining blooms of the sakura trees around them an ethereal glow that were reflected in her eyes and the petals raining down on them only made her seem more delicate… more exquisite that before…

Without his consent, his eyes roved over her lips, remembering how soft they were and how good they tasted… the slope of her delicate neck and exposed shoulders reminded him too painfully of the scene at the bathtub earlier. He swore if they had been alone he might not have been able to hold back from experiencing what it felt like to taste her again. He'd have his lips brushing all the way down the slope of her neck down to her collarbone and then…

Shinou, why did she make it so hard for him to breathe…?

He scowled and looked away. This was getting unreasonable and he could barely hold on to his anger. He didn't know how long he could depend on the emotion to protect her from himself. "His Majesty would be displeased if you were hurt."

"Oh… thank you," he heard her fidget for a moment before she spoke again. "So… um… okay; I'll leave you to your thing now. Bye."

"Wait!" he called out, suddenly realizing something. "Where are your parents?"

"Oh, them," she laughed nervously. "Well Mama kinda wandered off with Papa, but I'm sure they're around here somewhere, don't worry. It's been a while since they went out by themselves so I don't want to bother them."

His chivalrous nature, pounded into him by a deceptively strong mother, stepped up and straightened its back immediately. "Then I will act as your escort."

She raised surprised brows at that. "Umm… you don't really need to do that."

"His Majesty will never forgive me if you came to harm." He stubbornly declared.

"Umm… where are Yuuri and the others, anyway?" she asked uncertainly.

"They were left behind a while back. Conrad and Wolfram would never stray far from His Majesty's side. Lord Shouri and His Highness are with them."

Kagome twitched at that. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Here," Gwendal suddenly said, taking off his trench coat and putting it around her shoulders. If he were honest he'd admit he was actually doing it more for himself than her. She was getting too many peeks from the opposite sex for his liking and it helped him control himself if he couldn't see so much of the parts he wanted to touch exposed to his eyes. "It's a bit chilly; you need to keep warm."

"Umm… thanks." how did he know she was cold? She guessed it didn't matter.

She felt awkward and a little uncertain; this was the first time he's talked to her in about two months and she was still unsure as to why he had become so cold. It made her feel insecure now to be close to him like this.

Kagome sighed and took a peek around her. Already they were getting too much attention. Not only was Gwendal foreign looking but he was also a very good looking man. Being associated with him would get her unwanted attention too, something she never welcomed. But then again he just helped her. She could use this as an opportunity to repay him for his good deed no matter how grudgingly he must have performed it and reform their bonds. She hated losing friends.

She walked away from him and, as she predicted, he followed. Like a broad brooding shadow of impending doom to anyone who dared come near them.

Kagome looked around herself, wondering what she could do to distract herself from her silent companion. Her eyes lit on one of the booths and she suddenly forgot her self appointed bodyguard.

"Hey there, Miss, how about a few rounds?" the old man greeted her from outside the booth. "Get a ring around the Lucky Cat statue and you win a free prize! The more rings you put around her the bigger your prize will be!"

"I'll do it!" Kagome cried out, immediately handing over a few yen to the owner.

She had always loved booth games.

Gwendal watched a little behind Kagome as she got into a ready stance with three colorful rings in her hand. Now he understood this was just a game; but he raised his brow at the look of sheer determination in her eyes and told everyone around her she was not going to lose. She managed to hook one of the rings around the cat figurine no problem and his mouth twitched at the triumphant look in her eyes. He smirked a little when she failed to hook the other two around the animal statuette. She tried five more times, each time with three rings but was never able to get another ring around the cat statue again.

"Awww man!" she groaned in disappointment. "I was _this_ close!"

The old man laughed at her and came close. "Don't worry, dear; alright, just for you I'll give you an exception. Here's your prize right here."

Gwendal's interest peaked at the sight of a small pod like thing in green that the owner dropped in Kagome's open palm and her face lit up. "Oh cool!"

The old man nodded proudly. "It's only supposed to be given among the prizes if you've gotten the first three rings around the cat but since no one's around and I think you'd like this better than a lollipop, I don't think anyone would mind if I played favorites every once in a while."

"Oh thanks, uncle!" Kagome bowed to him before walking away, playing with the keychain as she trotted towards Gwendal.

Gwendal blinked at the toy, curious.

She was squeezing at it and as she did, bean like _things_ kept popping out.

"Oh, Gwendal, sorry about that," she laughed sheepishly as though she had forgotten he was there. "Look what I won!"

She held it up to him. He blinked at the object. His fingers started to itch, wanting to touch it. "What… is that?"

"It's an Endamame soybean pod keychain," she started squeezing out the little bean like things inside and as she did, he now saw the beans had faces on them. One was angry, the middle one seemed terrified and the last one was… winking? "Wanna give it a try?"

"It is proof of your victory; I shouldn't." He wanted to, though. He so wanted to… but he… must… _resist_. He can't let her distract him!

But he was too weak.

Soon he couldn't stop himself from squeezing out the toy beans on it as she pulled him around happily in the park. Just a few minutes with it had him addicted! Maybe he should get another one for his brothers and His Majesty…

Curse his love for cute things. And curse her for exploiting his weakness.

Soon they were all over the place. Kagome teaching him how to eat cotton candy which he instantly adored. She even laughed at him when some of the pink strands got caught in his hair. They got into some more games and she even convinced him to try to join in some of them. He won a plushie of some character named Ultraman from a ball tossing booth.

While Kagome was distracted from buying them odangos, his sharp eyes caught something at a nearby stall. On closer inspection he found it was a small brooch made of painted glass shaped like a sakura blossom in full bloom.

"Like it, Mister?" the old lady in the booth smiled at him knowingly. "Bet your girlfriend would look lovely with it, it's only worth three hundred and fifty five yen since it's only made of colored glass and not the real thing, but it's pretty enough."

Gwendal frowned. Why would he even want it for Kagome? But then he couldn't deny, if only to himself that she was the first one he thought of the moment he saw the broach.

"It's rare," the old woman continued with her pitch. "It's only known to be made in Nagahama."

Gwendal scowled for a bit… then shuffled the money Shouma handed to him and his brothers earlier before they split up, telling him to enjoy the sights. The old woman even placed the brooch in a stiff, little paper box filled with tissue. He immediately placed it inside his pocket.

"Gwendal, I'm going to go on that."

He looked at Kagome once she returned and saw her smiling fondly up at him and pointing over to her left. If it was another game that could get her another one of those cute toys then he would wholeheartedly agree but he paled when he turned and saw a bunch of people whirling around loops and screaming like they were about to die.

"No." he bit out, his hand suddenly shooting out to grasp at her forearm as though she was about to be taken away by the rolling train of carnage she was pointing at.

She frowned up at him at his response. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"No, you will not go on that death trap," he told her as he eyed the vehicle like contraptions practically leap off the rails, spin around another loop, and then go downhill from there. "Absolutely not."

She rolled her eyes at him. "It's not like I was asking you for your permission."

"My duty is to keep you safe!" he gritted out at her, feeling himself break into a cold sweat at the thought of her going through those motions. "I will not let you do anything that could harm you!"

The stubborn set of her mouth told him to get ready for an argument but then, all of a sudden, it melted. And then he blinked at the soft smile she gave him along with a tender pat on his hand. "Thank you for worrying about me, Gwendal, I understand. But it's been a while since I've had fun here so I really want to go on this rollercoaster. I've been on it before and it brings back good memories from when I was a child, it's perfectly safe."

He glared at her and stood his ground. How could he possibly believe something that looked too similar to one of Annisina's inventions was 'safe'?

"If you don't believe me then why don't you come with me; protect me from there." She cajoled him.

He wavered. Protecting her was his job, after all.

"I'll give you the keychain if you come with me?"

…Curse her.

Moments later he found himself being strapped into his seat, his body stiff as a board. His only comfort was that Kagome was right beside him.

"Please enjoy the ride, Miss." The young man who strapped them in winked at her and Gwendal glared at the presumptuous boy from his seat but he was ignored.

And then the carriage started to move.

He forgot to breathe.

He blinked in surprise when he felt a warm hand close on top of his own and he turned to see Kagome smiling at him, not mockingly as Annisina definitely would in this situation, but in comfort and reassurance.

"It will be okay," she told him softly as the carriage gained speed. "Hold my hand; I won't let go, I promise."

And then he was given the ride of his life.

His heart almost gave out when they went to the loops and half screamed in terror when he thought they would drop from the sky. After a while though, he noticed that he wasn't screaming in terror anymore. His heart was beating fast and it felt like it was leaping up in his throat. The speed reminded him of the feeling when he raced his horses back home and how much he loved the sense of freedom it gave him. It wasn't until the coaster slowed down as it began to ascend the final climb and he turned to a laughing Kagome that he noticed it… he was laughing too. Really laughing with no reservations; no holding back, no control. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done that…

By the time they were out of the cart, he had to fight to keep his composure back to the way it was. He was failing miserably. Never had he felt more aware that he was alive outside a battlefield before. It was… liberating.

"Wasn't that great?" Kagome laughed as she strode beside him. "I told you it was worth it!"

He nodded and fingered the box with the broach that was now his inside his pants pocket. "Yes."

"You should laugh more," Kagome suddenly told him, walking a few steps ahead of him. "You sound nice when you laugh."

The comment brought him up short. The thought of her opinion to his laughter made him a little self conscious and he didn't know how to respond to it. No one's ever told him he had a nice laugh before. Yuuri once told him his smile was kind just like his brothers' but it was never just actually his. It was a comparison as well as a compliment but Kagome merely noticed him himself. It made him feel… light for some reason.

"The cherry blossoms look beautiful, don't they?" she was looking up at the falling blooms and again he was arrested by the picture she presented to him. Even almost drowning in his coat she still managed to look so beautiful. She was calm and relaxed beside him as though she didn't mind one bit that he did not respond to her in any way and it made him want to hold her so bad. "But you know? I actually prefer waiting for the plums to bloom instead of the cherries. Somehow they're more peaceful. My grandfather always took me, Mom and Souta for it every year and then we'd attend the sakura festival with Yuuri's family. It was great. It was one of the differences between us. Yuuri liked the cherries and I liked the plums."

Gwendal watched her eye the falling petals with a nostalgic smile and again had the urge to crawl inside her mind to find out what she was thinking. He closed his eyes and looked away; he shouldn't get attached anymore. That night when she was drugged and he kissed her… it was a wake up call not to get too attached. She was dangerous. He didn't need someone like her. Knowing she would never return the feeling only made him bitter.

And yet he couldn't stop the curiosity from overflowing. "You don't hate the Shibuya family for fostering you off to your aunt?"

"I'm actually thankful," she replied with solemn honesty, turning her eyes on him. "It only means there are a lot more people that I can love."

"…But loving hurts," again his total incompetence related to matters of the heart made him stop short. "Why would anybody want that much hurt?"

She turned to him, her eyes widening in surprise at his innocent question but was suddenly interrupted.

"KAGOME!"

"Oh crap!" she suddenly hissed and Gwendal looked up to see a cheerful looking young man bounding towards them like an over eager puppy. He met her eyes and he swallowed at the plea in them. "Just play along."

"Kagome, how are you?" the young man was now in front of them and seemed to have noticed nothing beyond Kagome, giving her the full force of his smile.

"Hi Hojo," she greeted him with a wide smile of her own. "How are you?"

"I'm great, it's so nice to see you out here!" he said, laughing. "Hey, listen, why don't we go check out the sights around here, Kagome?"

"Uh, sorry, Hojo," Kagome said with a nervous laugh. "I'm… uh… erm… with him!"

She suddenly wrapped herself around his thick arm and Gwendal immediately stiffened. She felt so soft… And she smelled so heavenly…! Every single inch of her body touching his produced a massive amount of static electricity that made him _extremely_ aware of how male he was; and how female she is. It was all he could do not to bend down and bury his face on the top of her head.

It just wasn't fair…!

"Uh… I'm sorry…" the Hojo boy's smile faltered and began eyeing him warily. "Are you sure, Kagome? Doesn't he seem a little… old?"

"Hojo, you know better than to think I would let that get in my way," she scolded him lightly. "How's Yuka?"

At this, his smile completely disappeared and he looked down guiltily. "She's down in Futami for a relative's wedding."

"Oh, I see," she nodded pleasantly to him, tightening her hold on Gwendal who stiffened slightly in response. "The please say hi to her for me. Excuse me, we need to go…" she looked around as though searching for an escape route. Her eyes lit up at the Ferris wheel that just stopped and was letting out passengers. "There! We're about to miss it! Bye, Hojo!"

And Gwendal felt himself being dragged along for the second time that night. He looked back at the young man they just left and sympathized with the heart broken look on his face as he watched them go. Poor idiot. It was one of the reasons why he disliked such romantic gibberish.

Luckily for them, there wasn't a line. Kagome shoved some yen at the operator and practically shoved Gwendal inside. She sighed gratefully as they started to move up.

"Whew, that was close." She sighed as she leaned back against her seat right across from him and closed her eyes. "Is he still there?"

"He's walking away now," The Mazoku lord stared at her after checking. "Who was that?"

She smiled without opening her eyes or moving before answering. "Hojo. He's been… quite an avid suitor since I was in high school."

"He seems… harmless."

Her smile became a little wry. "Yeah… You know, I always thought that, if I was never grabbed by that centipede demon and taken into the well, I might have gone out with him. We might even be engaged right now. My life would just be an ordinary life like everyone else's. A mother, a brother, a grandfather who's just a little weird… and a boy who is kind and loving... And I might never have met any of my friends and… Inuyasha though."

A fist clenched over Gwendal's heart and he had to look away from her. Shinou he truly hated that name.

He distracted himself at the scene offered out their window and found the beautiful light from the city buildings and the lights from the sakura trees enchanting but it was not enough to make him ignore the woman trapped with him here in this enclosed place.

Suddenly a song began to softly play in the background of their carriage that made Kagome's eyes suddenly open wide in excitement.

**(Insert as background Suifeesen by Maiko Fujita)**

"Oh I love this song!" she exclaimed with a smile. She straightened in her seat and happened to look out of her window. She leaned close to the glass panel and Gwendal was again assaulted by her nostalgic smile… "I used to get on Ferris wheels all the time; I liked to do it when I needed to be alone. There was always something about being alone on top of the world that made me calm down somehow. I really enjoyed it… Now they just remind me of Inuyasha. Come to think of it, half the time I rode on a Ferris wheel to be alone was because I was thinking of him," she laughed wryly. "Geez, I'm pathetic."

Gwendal clenched his teeth. He had no business in whatever she thought about the silly half demon; he didn't care! But that distracted look, that sad smile directed at a memory she can never go back to… It made him ache. "Why do you love him?"

She blinked, surprised, before turning her head to look back at him. She was silent for a few moments, just watching him as though trying to gauge the reason why he would ask and Gwendal half hoped… that she would never find out why.

And then she smiled. "Gwendal… have you ever been in love?"

The question took him aback and his eyes immediately sought her but she was looking at the campfire with a sad yet fond expression in her eyes that froze the beat of his very heart preparing to be broken. It took him a while to realize he was gawking at her so he tried to compose himself. "I… love my country."

"That's not what I mean; I mean a person, someone special."

"…I love my family."

"…Are you being deliberately dense?"

"….I love my… pets?"

Kagome sweat dropped when she glanced at him realizing his answers meant 'no'. But then she chuckled earning her a glare from Gwendal. The glare melted at the sight of her genuine amusement and he decided he wouldn't mind it if she laughed at him over and over again as long as she looked like this…

"Falling in love is just like that roller coaster I had you ride back there. It's full of twists, turns, ups and downs and leaves you dizzy and scared but wanting to do it over and over again because it makes you feel alive and well and breathing," she started to explain after a moment in a breathless tone. "Do you remember what you said before you rode it?"

Gwendal blinked and thought about that moment. "…Yes."

She smiled again at the view outside. "It's the same thing I felt when I found out I was in love with Inuyasha. I didn't want to… I was scared… He was there and I was here, we didn't belong with one another… but I had no choice. He was precious to me. I belonged to him."

Gwendal looked away bitterly; he didn't need to hear this.

"When I saw him with Kikyou one night and heard he would never let her go and knew he had made his decision it was like all the blood in my body bled away and I was numb. When I finally regained my senses all I could think about was the pain. He looked at me… with pity," she clutched his coat closer to herself as though trying to find comfort in its warmth. "I ran away, I couldn't face it but… I couldn't turn my back on him either. I tried; I even wished I never met him but… I couldn't. I was in way too deep. Even though I knew he had made his decision… even though I knew I would always be the other woman in that sordid love affair… I stayed. And I promised him I'd stay no matter what; because I wanted him to live. I wanted to save him."

Gwendal clenched his teeth. It shouldn't hurt so why…? Why did it feel as though she were tearing him softly with her words…?

"But now that he wants to be with Kikyou I'm afraid… I'm afraid he would be going to a place even I can't follow…" he glanced at her again, unable to resist at the lonely tone in her voice and saw her burying her face into her hands. "I never asked him to love me back… I just wanted to be by his side… So I never thought… he'd leave me behind and choose death over life. That's why I want to go back to the Feudal Era; I want to try to convince him to live."

Gwendal scowled. He really shouldn't say anything, shouldn't get involved at all. But she was so despondent, so lonely and hurting so much it just… made _him_ hurt. "Have you ever thought that this might be a kind gesture from him?"

She turned towards him, her ebony eyes questioning. "What do you mean?"

Gwendal tightened his mouth but sighed after a while and spoke. "This may be his way of setting you free from your bonds to make new ones."

Kagome blinked up at him so he was forced to elaborate.

"You said he cared about you, it must have been difficult to have to burden himself with your heart when he didn't want it but he couldn't completely throw it back to your face; so this may be his way of getting you to leave so you'd be free; so you'd be able to find your own happiness."

He fidgeted a little, mentally asking himself why he was saying all this but then he swung a mental pick axe at the thought to make it go away. Kagome's face… sadness shouldn't belong there. And like every time in his life he threw away his personal feelings on the matter and did the right thing. "He lives in the past, his time has already come and gone for you and even if you are still able to go back in time because of that piece of rock you will never be able to go back far enough. And I think he already knows that."

She didn't say anything but Gwendal felt the weight of her stare on his face like a physical touch and he shivered at the thought of it as he turned away to hide his blushing cheeks. Shinou, she wasn't even actually touching him!

"Thank you, Gwendal, and I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. I thought you have never loved before but you have… You just haven't been able to love selfishly," her words made him forget he was trying not to look at her and whirled his eyes back into her tenderly smiling face and for the hundredth time that evening, his heart stopped beating for her and he forgot to breathe. "You're always so kind, so selfless. How do you do it? Doesn't it hurt to always be this loving?"

The Mazoku lord's eyes widened at the question and he could only stare at her in silence; the only sound between them being the chorus of the song playing in the background inside their carriage.

How did she know? How could she possibly understand the workings of his heart? But there, in her eyes, as plain as day was an enlightened, unmistakable, untainted _understanding_. Something he had never expected to be able to receive from people outside his own family. And her tender, loving smile made his gut twist and churn in hunger so great he knew… he just knew he had to touch her and fix it. To gorge himself on her until this desperate hunger to hold her went away… He just knew the loneliness would come to an end if he could just put his arms around her. The longing was so strong he could almost taste it…

Suddenly the infernal contraption they were trapped in started moving down and, with a lurch, the view of the magnificent array of lights around them vanished with the more significant ones below them.

"Oh we're almost at the bottom!" she said looking out at the view and breaking eye contact with him and all he could was stare at her until their carriage touched the ground. "And I think they finally noticed we're missing."

"Brother!" Wolfram rushed forward from the crowd, anxious to see if he was well.

"Kagome!" Yuuri and Shouri ran to her, not far behind and gathered her up in a group hug as soon as she stepped out of their car.

"So this was where you've been hiding." Ken smiled at her, Conrad at his back.

"Are you hurt?" Shouri began patting her here and there, looking her over for injuries before glaring in Gwendal's direction. "Did that guy do anything to you?"

She just laughed and swatted them off. "Of course not; Gwendal's always been the perfect gentleman. Hey, Yuu-chan, doesn't this bring back memories?"

Blinking, the realization drew a laugh out of her twin. "Even the reactions are the same; just with a bit more company and Souta's not here!"

"Let's go find Mom and Dad," Shouri told them, flushing at the memory they were hinting at. "I'm starving."

"Yeah me too," Kagome blushed as her stomach grumbled and she looked up at her older brother. "Shou-chan, I want Oden…!"

"Right, why didn't I see that coming?" the bespectacled Shibuya asked wryly.

Kagome punched him on the shoulder making him wince. "You're such an ass."

"What is Oden?" Conrad started to ask.

"Ah, my good man," Kagome patted his arm in a mockingly maternal manner. "Come and I will lead you into the gates of heaven…"

"No chance of that ever happening," Yuuri smirked at her. "You'll get too overweight to go all the way there."

"Yuu-chan," she twitched as she walked between her brothers, dragging Conrad along. "Did I ever tell you that I still have a copy of that really nice picture of you and Shou-chan in a koala and panda suit from when we were at seventh grade?"

Both men paled as they stared at her.

"You _wouldn't_." Yuuri wheezed.

"Try me."

"That's blackmail!" Shouri shuddered.

"I call it insurance." She smirked at them wickedly. "Now are you guys ready to treat us to Oden or not?"

"…Fine."

"Yay! Oden!" she practically jumped up and down the street happily.

"Can I get a copy of that picture, Kagome?" the Great Sage smiled at her sweetly but with a dangerous glint of his glasses.

Both Shibuya males glared at him menacingly.

"Let me just call dad and tell them where we're going so they could catch up to us when they're done with their little date." Shouri said, defeated as he reached for his celphone.

Gwendal, in the meantime, couldn't move yet. When he did he looked like a zombie. He responded to Wolfram's queries with a series of grunts and nods but his eyes were pinned solely on Kagome as though he was a magnet and she was the North. He was still shaking with need and frustration. And it was all he could do not to scream.

These were not lost on Wolfram who could only stare wonderingly at his usually stoic older brother who used to only concern himself with political affairs, stuffed toys, children and escaping from Annisina. On Gwendal's face he could see pain so profound he was almost tempted to ask where he was hurt. Following his line of sight and seeing Kagome in it… he understood. Everything just clicked into place for the youngest former Maou's son. For did he not feel the exact same way for Yuuri?

But...

...

...

...

...Wasn't Gwendal engaged to Annisina…?

/*****/

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	23. Chapter 23

**AN:**

**I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE ! **(rises from a coffin like a zombie).

Okay, first of all I am _so_ sorry; I had to find my inner Kagome again because she was somewhat lost along the lines of everyday life =_=;. I tried my best so I hope this chapter was worth the wait; I'm hoping to wrap up this arc on the next chapter so please stay tuned.

Second; I'm sorry for the pathetic Kagome in this chapter; I love her and all but you've gotta admit she's been like this all throughout the series; before you flame please note that so far, everything I've had the characters do are being done for a reason; if you haven't noticed that by now well...

Also, please heed the conversation Kagome will have with Aki.

And finally, for giving me back my inspiration to update this story I am thanking **the point** for her story **'The Lunar Eclipse'**; it's a HinataxShikamaru pairing and I totally loved it; I even made an AMV inspired by it since it was so awesome; you'll be able to find the link to the AMV on my profile and the story link on my Faves list.

Also THANK YOU maple86 for ANOTHER inspiring fan art! I haven't been checking my PMs since I couldn't post anything and _lo and behold_ I saw her message there and I just… just… CRIED! (T-T) It was so beautiful! She even got Kagome's dress right! And the background! OMG you just have to see it!

It's located here: **http :/ / maple86. deviantart. com/ art/ the-right-moment- 205612798**

ALSO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

Have you guys been to Germany? I need a bit of background about their high school system and I can't seem to get satisfactory answers from Google. Please PM me some answers?

**Facts notes**:

Everything you'll be reading about the Sengoku Era— _minus_ Kagome's skirmishes with them— are real; I've put in some research to get this all as realistic as possible so the Imagawa and the Takeda clans were allies through marriage before the Tokugawa supplanted the Imagawa and turned them into glorified stewards.

Please enjoy ^_^v

**Chapter 23**

A frown crossed Kikyou's lips at the feeling in her chest; her Soul Stealers floating around her a bit anxiously at the wave of energy connected to their mistress. Her soul had ceased hurting earlier that day almost immediately after it began and it only meant that whatever danger her reincarnation has been in it was over now. She did not like it. She did not like it one little bit. She looked up at the Goshinboku tree as she sat at its base and frowned. She had always noticed how the tree favored Kagome somehow. Perhaps it sees the younger miko as a kindred spirit; someone who was beyond time and the laws surrounding it. Either way there was no changing that faint thread of feeling that had engulfed her a moment ago.

She had a strong feeling that Kagome would be back again here soon and there would be a reckoning. She would be back here whole and well if that strong demon brother of hers had anything to say about it no matter how improbable the chance of her being healed of such harsh wounds after their last battle so quickly was. One could never be too careful. Her reincarnation had managed to make the impossible possible several times before.

"Kikyou?"

She looked up and saw Inuyasha dropping out of the foliage, interrupting her contemplation. She eyed him expressionlessly. "Where have you been?"

Inuyasha swallowed hard, feeling more than a little uncomfortable in her presence than he had ever done in his life. "I came across Sesshoumaru."

If Kikyou was permitted to have emotions, she would have raised her brows at the reply. "You are not injured."

The hanyou shrugged. "He wasn't in the mood."

"…I see." She stayed quiet for a little while longer before finally spoke again. "Inuyasha, come here."

Confused, Inuyasha obeyed her without question and knelt in front of his undead lover. "What is it, Kikyou?"

"Inuyasha," she looked him deep in the eyes as though searching for his soul. "Do you love me?"

The silver haired hanyou blinked at her, confused before answering. "Of course; you know I do."

A small, bitter smile crossed Kikyou's thin, pale lips. "Then prove it; this would be the final time I will be asking something of you."

"Anything," Inuyasha whispered fervently as he enveloped the dead priestess in his arms. "I would do anything for you."

"Then," Kikyou stayed still in his embrace, the plan she had formulated now blazing into completion in her mind. She didn't want to do this; she wanted a little bit more time; but the feeling of Kagome coming near was forcing her hand and she needed to act now. "Give me the Tessaiga…"

/*****/

"I don't get it, why can't we just use my backyard pool?" Yuuri whined as they trudged up the long stairs that led to the Higurashi shrine, already panting at the exertion with Shouri not doing any better. "I've managed to get there with Murata using a _lake_, for crying out loud! We're just torturing ourselves by coming up here!"

"That would be great if we knew how predictable the flow of time was," Kagome rolled her eyes at him. "Because I would like to be directly transported to Kaede's village since that's where Inuyasha and Kikyou are; also with so many people with us I think it would be better to trust the well. Besides, I'd rather travel with a little bit more dignity back to the Feudal Era using the well than through a second hand kiddie pool you used to bathe naked in, Yuu-chan."

Yuuri sent her a glare and a red face.

Wolfram cocked his head at her in confusion. "What's so wrong about a kiddie pool? And what do you mean Yuuri was bathing there na… ked…" His emerald eyes widened in realization before turning to yell at a harassed Yuuri. "You _cheater_!"

"And shouldn't you be at your office, Shouri?" Kagome turned to her older brother, ignoring her twin and his fiancé altogether which caused Yuuri to scowl at her more. "Really, we could have just taken taxis to get here; you didn't have to drive us."

"Hmp," Shouri turned his face away from their foreign guests and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like I'll leave my only sister in a cramped space with these heathens for company."

Kagome sweat dropped at that and sighed. "Geez, you're hopeless."

"Dear, are you sure you have everything you need?" Miko called out to her from behind.

"We'll be fine, Mama," she called back to her mother who had her arm around her father's elbow. The two looked as though they were out on a date. "We've packed for six this time and I've already picked up what I needed from the university this morning so we're all set unless there's something else Yuu-chan and the others want to take with them."

"Nope, I've got my Ipod right here!" Ken smiled cheerfully, waving the device around like a flag. "I'm all covered!"

Kagome sweat dropped at her friend. "Don't blame me if anything happens to it, I hope you've got that insured."

The reincarnation of the Great Sage merely smiled back at her as she rolled her eyes at him in exasperation and continued climbing.

Murata Ken enjoyed coming to the Higurashi Shrine.

The place was quiet and solitary but there was warmth in the sacred place that allowed even demons like him a comfort he had never felt before so long as he did not hold any violent thoughts towards any of its occupants. The handy little talismans Kagome had placed around the shrine ages ago were doing their work as efficiently as ever and he had no doubt that this power would stay long after she was gone.

But another reason why he loved coming here was because it provided copious amounts of entertainment; he noted as he stood safely behind Yuuri while they followed the three brothers from Shin Makoku as they acted as his advance guard, ready to protect the Shibuya family and himself in case there were any threats. Shouri was beside his brother while Shouma and Miko walked right beside them. Their warmth made them look like they belonged here. Especially with Kagome happily ensconced between the couple.

They found Higurashi Aki sweeping the leaf ridden lawn enjoying the peaceful morning when the sound of footsteps coming from the direction of the long flight of stairs. As she turned to see who it might be visiting the shrine so early, a familiar, dear sound reached her ears.

"Mom!"

Aki turned just in time to be engulfed in Kagome's warm embrace prompting her to drop the broom and return it. She knew Kagome had only been gone since yesterday afternoon but somehow; this time; it felt like she had been away for much longer than that. And from what she had heard from Miko whenever they talked about Yuuri and Kagome's travelling habits, she was pretty sure this was not very far from the truth. She stopped short when the first thing to meet her eyes was a wall made up of three of the most beautiful looking men she had ever seen.

"Good morning." Conrad greeted her with a polite nod of the head. Gwendal and Wolfram also nodded to her in greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh my…"

"Hi, Aunt Aki," Ken stepped forward a bit, still hidden behind the rest but he managed to give her a cheerful wave. He couldn't blame the woman for her reaction; anyone with at least three working senses would not be unaffected by the trio from Shin Makoku. "These are Yuuri's friends; that's Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, Sir Conrad Weller and Sir Wolfram von Bielefeld."

"Oh," she blinked back at the three who all politely inclined their heads at her. "It's very nice to meet you, please come in; my home is your home."

"Thanks, Aunt Aki!" Ken replied for all of them cheerfully. He noted the tension on Gwendal's shoulders and the protective stance he was making in front of his younger brothers as though readying himself to act as their shield so the Great Sage immediately alleviated his fears. "Don't worry; she's used to this all the time."

Gwendal blinked, probably wondering if the woman, although calm, had a fantasy streak like Jennifer's.

Next to Miko-mama, Aki-mama was probably one of Ken's favorite older women in the world. Her calm understanding, so unlike her sister's fiery and bouncy disposition, was a welcome contrast during crucial times. Also, he admired her for her exceptional ability to read between the lines.

"Oneechan!" Aki looked up and saw her younger sister push through the three gorgeous men as though they were plain curtains and also joined in on hers and Kagome's hug. "How are you?"

Aki looked up and saw the gentle smile on her younger sister's face with her husband Shouma watching them fondly. Yuuri was standing just a bit behind the three good looking men with Shouri and Ken following him.

She smiled back at them all. "It's nice for you to visit, Miko."

"Mou, Aki-nee, it's _Jennifer_!" Miko pouted. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Aki sighed a bit at her younger sister's antics. "And how many times do I have to tell you that I refuse to call you by that nickname you gave yourself? Now stop pouting and tell me how you are or is that too much to ask for?"

"Oh I'm PERFECT! Thank you for letting Kagome spend the night with us!" Miko gushed.

"Oh what are you saying? She's free to sleep wherever she wants whenever she wants." She waved the thanks off.

"Nevertheless, thank you." Her younger sister's eyes twinkled as she stepped forward to join in on the hug.

"Right," the dark haired woman chuckled at her sister's antics. "Why don't we go in and have some tea?"

"That would be nice." Shouma bowed to her slightly with his sheepish smile.

"Sorry for barging in on you like this, Aunt Aki," Yuuri scratched the back of his head sheepishly at his aunt. "And sorry about disappearing on you yesterday; I was called back all of a sudden because of an emergency."

"Oh nonsense, Yuu-chan," the dark haired woman smiled at him tenderly. "You're always welcome here; you are family, after all."

Yuuri blushed at her open smile.

"Kagomeeeee!"

Kagome let go of her foster mother to catch her little brother who practically tackled her down like an American football player with an orange tri colored cat bouncing on his head to plaster itself on its female human's shoulder. "Souta! Buyo!"

"I was so worried!" the young boy cried out as he buried his face in her stomach. "Stupid Yuuri came and told me he kidnapped you and taken you to his evil castle—"

"Hey!" Yuuri yelled, thoroughly pissed off.

"And then Shouri was being a meanie—"

"I was NOT!" Shouri screamed back, a nerve exploding at the back of his combed back hair.

"See? Don't worry; I'll protect you, oneechan!" Souta came to stand in front of the two seething brothers.

"Erm… Souta…?" Kagome face faulted at her little brother's antics.

"Hey, you little brat, that was a lie!" Shouri pointed at the youngest male there glaring death, hell and destruction.

Yuuri was not far behind. "Yeah, take that back! Don't believe the little demon spawn, Kagome, he's trying to frame me!

"Seriously what are you guys?" Kagome rolled her eyes at them. "You sound like you're still eleven fighting with Souta like this."

"He started it!" both brothers' yelled in unison.

"I rest my case." She deadpanned, Buyo mewling lovingly into her hair.

Souta stuck his tongue out at them making both brothers seethe.

Ken chuckled quietly at the sight. The rivalry between Souta and the Shibuya brothers had always been priceless. They always fought over her like dogs over a bone. He caught Kagome glaring at him, knowing his habits and he answered with a beatific smile on his face to which she rolled her eyes at.

But the reunion was still incomplete; they still had yet to see the most entertaining member of the family.

"Demon, BEGONE!"

_Ah_, he thought with a smirk. _There he is_.

A surprised Conrad and Gwendal smoothly parted at an old man's charge and sent him flying towards Yuuri but Shouri suddenly got in the way to protect his brother and ended up with an ofuda between the eyes. Shouma and Ken stood a little behind Yuuri and both smiled up at the incident, former nervously and the latter cheerfully like it happened every time they came there.

Which was actually true.

"Father!" Aki exclaimed, scandalized and her hands on her hips.

"Stay back, Aki; there are some strong demonic presences on these grounds," Their grandfather stated as he hopped back in front of his womenfolk and Souta as if to fend off all the other males present. "How dare you invade this holy place, demons?"

The three foreign Mazoku looked at each other worriedly before turning their eyes on their Maou.

Yuuri sweat dropped and raised his hands up in surrender. "He's never really liked the three of us."

"Shut up; you will leave this place now, de—"

"_Grandpa_…!"

The old man stiffened at the dark aura and threatening growl coming from directly behind him. He slowly turned around and flinched at the sight of Kagome glaring at him from down her nose and practically spewing flames of rage.

Aki sighed and decided to come to her father in law's rescue. "Why don't we take this inside and have some tea?"

"That sounds lovely, here I'll help!" Miko stated perky as ever.

"No, I won't hear of it," Aki refused as she led them all inside. "Kagome, dear, help me in the kitchen."

Kagome looked up from glaring at her cowering grandfather and blinked. "Sure, Mom."

Instead of arguing like she usually would, Miko merely shot her sister a look and nodded, proceeding to lead everyone else into the living room where everyone took a spot of their own, Miko entertaining the three foreign brothers with family albums tucked away under the DVD player.

Ken's glasses flashed in observation at this attempt of their hostess to get some time alone with Kagome.

Ever since he had become intimately acquainted with the Shibuya family, it had become a mission of his to thoroughly read through all the subtle nuances that made up the entire Shibuya family and, ever since he met Kagome, he did pretty much the same to her family as well. So it wasn't hard for him to decode the silent interaction between the two mothers as a sign that Aki wanted to speak with Kagome. Alone.

Now, normally he would have left them to their discussion; however Ken needed everything he could get his hands on about Kagome's current situation _including_ the ones she wasn't willing to part with. And since he had no Yozak to depend on this time…

The house was in total chaos what with Souta, Yuuri and Shouri bickering, Miko was teasing, Shouma and the three foreign Mazoku looking on with varying emotions on their faces (Wolfram's being the most expressive). Ken watched all of them from a little corner of the crowded living room beside Grandpa Higurashi who was being unusually silent.

It worried him a little so he tried to make a little conversation. "So how are you, Grandpa? Any new relics you've been able to dig out of the shed?"

"Hm?" the old man spared him a glance, seemingly too distracted by his thoughts to be flattered by Ken's interest in the shrine's history like he usually would. "Perhaps."

Ken blinked. Grandpa never turned down a chance to rattle on about his precious shrine. Something was up. And somehow, this tied to whatever it was Kagome and Aki was about to discuss in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry; I think I'll need to use the bathroom." The bespectacled young man stood up, making himself heard amidst the chaos that was the combined forces of the Shibuya and Higurashi families at last.

"It's up the stairs and to your right, dear." Miko told him with a bright smile.

"He should know," Souta grumbled as he proceeded with his glaring contest with Shouri. "Since he popped in there when they last came here. Right out of my bathtub. With _Yuuri_."

Ken sweat dropped as he walked out of the room. Looks like Souta still hadn't forgotten about that incident with the bathtub. He had to admit, the boy had a grudge streak a mile wide.

Stealthily, he crept over towards the kitchen and there he found Kagome and Aki-mama pulling out some great smelling pastries and tea out of the woodwork. Ken merely stood still, barely breathing and listened to what was happening inside.

"—re ready, Mom." He heard Kagome say from the kitchen.

"Kagome, dear," he heard Aki say as she set a large plate of chocolate almond cookies on the table. "Are you sure about this? About confronting Kikyou this time?"

Kagome stopped whatever it was she was doing and silence settled in the room for a few minutes before he heard her voice again.

"She was the one who threw the gloves at me first by taking off the beads from Inuyasha's neck," Kagome sighed as she answered the dark haired older woman while fingering Inuyasha's beads still around her slender neck after setting down a tall pitcher of iced tea on a tray. "I think she's telling me it's time we broke off this impasse."

"I don't understand," Aki persisted, somehow wanting her daughter to stay here at home a while more where she knew the younger woman was whole and safe. "If what Yuu-chan told us is right then this arrangement has been enough for her for the past four years, why is she still not content?"

The young priestess answered her mother with a lopsided smile. "She's probably finally understood now that no matter how long she waited, she would never be whole."

"…What about your soul, Kagome? You can't possibly take this any further."

Her face suddenly became shuttered. "I'll take care of it."

"Then what Yuuri said was true…?"

"It's true," she smiled sadly. "Inuyasha loves Kikyou; I can't hold that against him."

"Since when?" Aki felt her heart twist at the sight of her daughter's sadness.

"Since after we completed the Shikon no Tama," Ken heard her breathe deeply before speaking again. "Oh who am I kidding? I knew even way before that."

"Then Kikyou is not dead."

"Yes."

"Kagome—"

"I'm sorry," Kagome rushed in when she heard her mother's disappointment, leaning forward slightly. "But I didn't want to disappoint you, Mom; I knew you liked him—"

"Kagome, my love, do you really think I would choose the man you love over my own daughter?"

Kagome backed down and looked away. "I didn't want you to hate him."

"But, dear—"

"He didn't do anything to deserve anyone's hatred because he never forced me to love him," she smiled sadly at her mother, bowing her head sheepishly. "If anything, I was the one who forced _myself_ on _him_."

Everything was set on the trays and all they had to do now was to take it to others in the living room but Aki lingered and so did Kagome. Ken noted the worried fidgeting the woman was doing with her hands.

"So he chose a dead woman over you and it is ending," Aki met the younger woman's eyes and it wasn't hard to read the scared quivering of her pupils in the dark orbs. "But that still does not explain why you left your soul with that woman."

Kagome merely met this with her own gaze; her eyes clear and unrepentant. "You know what she wants to do with him."

"That does not answer my question, young lady."

"I…" she faltered a bit helplessly before finally answering in a deflated manner. "I wanted to convince her not to take Inuyasha to hell. I want to purify her and let her move on in a place other than hell. That way if she does manage to take him; it would be to a better place. Failing that I… I wanted him to be happy with her; even if it's just for a little while."

Aki stared at her daughter and sighed. "Grandpa's worried about you. He told me something after Yuuri left yesterday when he took Shippou away. Parting with a part of your soul is a painful process; it diminishes you and leaves an ache that cannot be cured by any sort of medicine and hurts to the point that you can lose your mind!"

Kagome looked away, confirming her mother's words and making one Great Sage lean forward in interest at this information even as he fought to control his horror at the very idea.

"Don't tell me you don't feel it because I know of it; the pain in your chest every month as though there is a nerve in it being stretched so thin every breath you take is torture! An emptiness in your soul that would lead a lesser being with no will into suicide!" Aki paled as though the very thought of her daughter hurting was too horrendous to bear. "Four years, Kagome… _Four years_! It's a miracle you haven't gone insane yet! Thank Kami Miko doesn't know or she would go mad with worry. Is Inuyasha truly worth this kind of pain?"

"It is," as the older woman started to suck in another breath to reply, Kagome quickly added on to the statement. "Because he is my friend first before he is the love of my life. And I've always been taught that my friends come first."

Aki deflated. They both knew who taught her such a philosophy.

Kagome sucked in a shaky breath filled with guilt. "I'm sorry, Mom."

Aki smiled sadly at her and then walked over to engulf her in a warm, tight hug. "I guess I raised you too well, huh?"

Kagome laughed shakily as she returned the hug tightly. "I love you, Mom."

"I know."

"If I could have helped it, I wouldn't have chosen this kind of life."

"I know that too."

"I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment."

"_Never_," Aki whispered to her fiercely as she tightened her embrace around her little girl. It didn't matter to her that Miko gave birth to Kagome, to her, this young woman was the daughter of her heart and she was proud to have her. Which is also the reason why she was scared of this feeling of dread spreading through her heart that she was about to lose her little girl forever. But since Kagome had already decided then she can't hold her daughter back anymore. Kagome became the wonderful person she is because she allowed the younger woman room to grow up. Even though it hurt that she never knew all the details, she needed to trust the younger woman. It was the only thing she could do right now to support her; even if it hurt so badly that she couldn't really do anything at all. "You are _never_ a disappointment to me."

Ken backed away as tears started falling from Kagome's cheeks. He had enough information for now. However, once he turned around the bespectacled soukoku ruler stopped at the presence of _another_ relaxed figure leaning quietly against the wall just a little behind him. But Conrad said nothing and merely gave him a nod before straightening up and moving back to the living room with the others. Ken followed silently, making sure he didn't meet eyes with the tall knight as he settled in his old spot before he left.

_Just how much did Conrad know…?_

"Alright, we have chocolate almond cookies and cinnamon buns fresh from the oven," Aki called out to the group, laying the goodies on the low table while Kagome brought in the trays of tea. "Who wants tea?"

"Wow, did you bake these, Kagome?" Wolfram asked in delight as he reached for a cinnamon bun. He stopped when he remembered something though and looked to Gwendal for approval. After seeing his oldest brother's nod, the blond happily reached for the treat and took a bite. "These are good, Kagome!"

"If she _did_ make those then you'd be dead by now." Yuuri deadpanned as he reached for a cookie.

"Eh?"

"Kagome can't bake to save her life," Shouri mumbled around his cup of tea. "Last time she did I ended up in the hospital; the doctors asked me how I made such a dangerous enemy."

BANG! CRASH!

Kagome twitched angrily at her two brothers now lying dizzily on the floor with a bent tray in her hands, Shouma sweat dropped from behind his tea cup. "It's not my fault I was never around to learn!"

"Oh, neechan!" Miko suddenly said, almost dropping her tray of tea cups on her husband who scrambled to save the china and himself from being scalded. "That reminds me, where were those albums with Kagome's baby pictures in them? I'd love to show her off."

"Oh they're right here somewhere—"

"What? MOM!" Kagome dropped the tray on a snickering Souta's head ("OW! Oneechan!"), horrified at her two mothers.

"What, dear?" Aki asked her daughter innocently.

"You _wouldn't_!"

"They're just pictures, dear," Aki giggled at the horror on her daughter's face. "And you were a cute baby, nothing to fear."

"But I have a picture in there with me and Souta bathing in the bathtub!" Kagome shrieked before slapping her hands over her mouth and blushing when she realized what she just said.

Revenge was practically written on the Shibuya brothers' face.

"Oh now I have got to see this." Yuuri smirked evilly.

"Let me help you look for that, Auntie." Shouri was right behind him.

"Souta, _do_ something!" Kagome yelled in a panic.

"You hit me with the tray!"

"Well you're naked there too; if they see me then they'll see you and you have a lot more to lose than I do in that picture!" Kagome practically screeched at her younger brother.

Souta paled. "Crap; _hold on, Mom_!"

Wolfram got up to help with the search, always thrilled about photographs while his older brothers looked on in amusement along with a sweat dropping Shouma and an extremely amused Ken.

"OH MY GOSH IT'S TRUE! YOU _WERE_ WEARING A PANDA SUIT!" Wolfram's exclamation almost blew up the entire house.

"I know; they were so cute!" Miko gushed while Shouri and Yuuri were being held off by the sheer presence of the two mothers hovering over the album they now pulled out. "I had the exact same picture but I can't remember where it is now."

Both brothers refrained from telling her that said picture had long ago been burned and flushed down a communal toilet.

/*****/

"My lord Sesshoumaru, you have finally arrived!"

Sesshoumaru looked down at a prostrating Jaken from above his aristocratic nose, face expressionless and devoid of emotion. "Where is Rin?"

"She arrived several hours ago with Ah-Un and is now resting in her rooms," Jaken immediately complied with his usual avid solemnity. "Also, my lord, while you were away I and the other keepers of your family vault has found another scroll you might wish to see."

This immediately perked Sesshoumaru's interest. Before he left to fetch Rin he had commanded all his retainers to search for any and all archives written by his great ancestor, the same one who had left the scroll about the Shikon no Tama's true origins. Having more of his missives around may lead him to a clue he can use to protect the living miko further.

"Show me." He commanded Jaken curtly.

The toad demon bowed low before him. "It is awaiting your perusal in your study, my lord."

Sesshoumaru glided over to said location gracefully and immediately spotted the aged relic of a scroll in the middle of his low desk. Sitting down in seiza, he immediately opened the missive and read. It took him almost a quarter of the night to finish the document pertaining to another relic he seemed to need to find. If it is as dangerous as his ancestor said it was then he would need to secure it immediately.

A box. What kind of box? And why was it recorded in the deepest archives of his library in a fashion that only someone who knows what they were looking for could possibly possess its information? He should investigate this immediately. If it was dangerous he would need to eliminate it.

"Jaken."

A shadow from his shoji door moved to bow as he spoke the toad's name. "My lord?"

"I will leave tonight and may be gone for a while. You will take care of Rin in my absence. If any harm befalls her you will lose your life. Slowly and painfully. Then be revived once more and then lose it all over again in the same manner."

An audible gulp echoed from Jaken's form. "Y-yes, my lord."

Sesshoumaru nodded then got up and opened the door to his study that led to the garden outside where the light of a dimming crescent moon met him. The scroll his half brother gave him earlier that day remained in the sleeve of his haori and, for a moment, he considered leaving it behind. After a moment he exchanged the letter for the missive his retainers have unearthed and then took off into the night on his youki cloud.

His foolish half brother could wait; he needed to secure another heritage of his it would seem. It was his responsibility to determine whether or not it was worth keeping…

/*****/

Buyo clung to his human with a persistence that surprised most of the Higurashi family; the housecat had never shown any more interest in anything else except for napping, eating and making the occasional mischief to get his humans in line and remind them of his superiority. But Kagome was again speaking of going into that accursed well and now she was going to take the other human who smelled like her, the human with four eyes and three other people who smelled similarly of magic and near on immortality. The cat had felt that whatever had happened to Kagome since she had left the afternoon before had bowed her shoulders a little bit lower and he had no wish to have his favorite human again be abused. He simply cannot allow it!

"Come _on_, Buyo!" his young male human tried to pry him off Kagome's clothes but the tabby merely dug his claws further into her pale green shirt stubbornly. "If _I_ can't get into the well and travel to the Feudal Era then what makes _you_ think you can go, huh?"

"Souta! You're hurting him!" Kagome protested in behalf of her cat.

"Well he's being a pain in the neck anyway!"

"Excuse me, may I?"

"Eh?" both siblings watched in amazement as Gwendal's long, slender but rough fingers reached out and began tickling Buyo's chin.

The cat practically melted off Kagome in pleasure. Before they knew it he was already being cradled against a broad chest with a fast beating heart.

"Wow, Gwendal," Kagome peered at her usually lazy cat with wide eyes. "Buyo's practically in love with you now…!"

No one saw the large Mazoku twitch but he kept a steady hold on the fat feline; blushing at the feel of the soft fur in large, callused hands.

"I've never seen anyone find his weak spot so easily before! And get him so obedient too!" Souta exclaimed in awe, looking up at Gwendal as though he were his new idol.

Kagome leaned close to Gwendal's ear and whispered, laughter shining in her eyes. "Better be careful or Souta will be your new stalker."

The large Mazoku tried to hide a shiver at the feel of her warm breath against his ear.

Aki held back Souta by his shoulders, the boy now holding onto Buyo, and bowed to the Mazoku who had lined up behind her daughter and took particular notice of the broadest of them; the dark haired Mazoku lord called Gwendal. Right now he had chosen to stand directly behind her daughter as though guarding her this entire time. And there was attentiveness in his pose that belied the calm he was exuding especially whenever Kagome spoke even as he remained stoic. Interesting.

"Please take care of my daughter." She told them, looking the dark haired Mazoku in the eye as she did so.

Gwendal blinked as though taken aback before straightening and nodding back slightly. "She will not be harmed; I swear on my honor."

Kagome gave her mother one last confused and warm smile before turning her back on her family once more and heading over to the well; the men sparing her from carrying her own backpack even as they carried theirs.

As soon as they entered the well house with Gwendal, Conrad, Wolfram and Ken and everyone else not included in their entourage waited at the well house's doorway, she decided to lay down some laws.

"Yuuri," she started before anything else, wanting to dissuade her brother one final time. "You really don't have to do this."

"No, I'm going," he scowled back at her. "And there's nothing you can say to change my mind so just stop it, Kagome."

"Alright, first of all, there are some conditions I need you guys to go by," she sighed in defeat, looking them all in the eye as she did so with the utmost seriousness. "We're going back in time and we'll be mingling with a large part of this country's history. So you guys are not allowed to say or do anything that will change any of that.

"If someone threatens you, feel free to injure them; if you have no choice, it's okay to kill them; but I am strictly forbidding you guys to get heavily involved in human affairs," she directed this at Yuuri who flushed and pouted. "You are not going to see pretty pictures here, guys. You'll see poverty, death, disease and brutality at its most primal form. There's not much we can do about all that so focus on what we came there for—"

"What, you mean we should just let violence happen in front of us?" Yuuri asked her angrily, surprised at her twin's speech.

Kagome rubbed her forehead, already knowing this was going to be Yuuri's prime reaction. "Look, I generally go by Murphy's law here, Yuu-chan. If I see someone in need of help I don't stop myself from helping; but I do not go willingly out of my way to change the course of history and time. This is the past; change anything there and it will affect the future _here_. When I say STOP, you stop; when I say WAIT, you wait; when I say DON'T-KILL-THAT-GUY-HE'S-AN-IMPORTANT-PART-OF-HISTORY-EVEN-IF-HE'S-A-BASTARD, you leave them alone; capiche?"

"So you're afraid of the time paradox effect," Ken said thoughtfully with a nod. "I understand; I'll keep an eye out on Yuuri."

"You'd better," Kagome eyed him beadily. "You're in charge of Yuuri, Ken-chan, since you're the only one who would be able to recognize if he tries to kill someone important—"

"Hey, what does that supposed to mean?"

"You guys are allowed free rein but in this little field trip, Ken is in charge of your group. If Yuuri wants you guys to do something, make sure Ken knows about it first; is that clear?"

"Hey!"

"I'm serious, Yuuri," Kagome looked back at her twin with hard ebony eyes, taking the young man aback. "You may be Maou in your dimension but you'll be stepping on my turf now; if _any_ of you does something irreparable to the timelines I will throw you into the well and lose you in time and space forever, got it?"

Yuuri was about to protest again but stopped when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Conrad smiling down at him before turning his attention back to Kagome. "We understand. However we will still protect His Majesty with our lives."

Kagome nodded at the reassurance before flashing her family an apologetic look. She was going to take her friends on a dangerous journey and she wasn't sure how everything will turn out but she can't stop Yuuri and she knew that. If anything, leaving him alone would only end up with him in trouble.

"Kagome," Gwendal then spoke up, his intense Prussian blue eyes seemingly burning her into cinders. "Should we disrobe now?"

Kagome blinked at that once. Then twice. Then she blushed violently at the thought of them stripping. Was there something she missed? "Eh? Why would you do that?"

Ken laughed nervously at her before explaining. "Yeah, Shinou had them strip so he could transport them here. It was great that Yuuri was powerful enough to keep all of us in robes when he took us here but usually it's a ritual when travelling between worlds to do it naked."

Kagome sweat dropped at that and waved at the tall Mazoku lord immediately. "Um… it's fine, Gwendal, no need for that. You're fine as you are."

"…I see."

All she could do now is smile and reassure her family one last time to avoid the awkward silence that followed. "We'll be back later."

"Be careful, dear." Aki called out to her, holding onto Miko's hand.

"Take care of Yuu-chan for me, Kagome-chan!" Miko called out as well, tightening her hold on her sister.

"If something happens, _anything_ at all," Shouri ordered her firmly. "You both come back, do you hear me?"

"I love you, sweetie, come back safe!" Shouma sobbed as he waved a handkerchief at her from behind his wife.

"Kagome," Kagome blinked and looked up at her grandfather. He was looking uncharacteristically serious. "Come back whole."

Her eyes widened for a moment before they softened and nodded over at the old man. "I know. And I love you too."

The ebony haired priestess then took Yuuri's hand in hers and touched the rim of the well. She took a deep breath and then began to refocus her powers. "Okay, Yuu-chan, just let me take the lead. The well's already open and you'll probably feel a slight restriction. Do you remember what it felt like the last time?"

"Yeah," he nodded, watching as the inside of the well started to glow pink. "I remember it felt really tight when Murata and I went through. I had to be forceful."

"That's because the well should only transport a maximum of two beings. I have no problems whenever I travel with Inuyasha from and back to the Feudal Era but that's just because it doesn't really count me," she smiled sadly at the memory of all the times he'd dragged her back from the shrine and to Kaede's village, the hanyou pulling at her all the way. "The portal recognizes me as a part of it so anyone else that has a connection to me like Inuyasha did needs a bit more strength to pass through. Since there's a lot more of us I need you to pull the passage a bit wider. Just remember what it felt like the last time you did it only make a wider hole; enough to let Gwendal and the others to pass through comfortably; I'll hold the portal open while you do that, okay?"

"Got it." Yuuri nodded in determination and closed his eyes, tightening his hand over hers.

Kagome felt it when he started pushing through the space in the well and knew when the frame was stretched far enough. "Okay that's good; hold it steady. Okay you guys get in, two at a time now."

Wolfram looked hesitant, wincing at the now lavender light glowing from inside the well, but Conrad and Gwendal didn't even bat an eyelash. Both hopped over the well still holding on to their bags and swords.

"Brother!" Wolfram cried out and ran after them but only saw them slip through the portal and disappeared. "Brother…"

"Well I guess that's our cue, Sir von Bielefeld," Ken smiled from behind the blond Mazoku prince. "I'll see you on the other side, you guys."

And then, without warning, the bespectacled soukoku pushed the leaning Wolfram into the well and followed his yelping form casually.

Kagome nodded, pleased. "Good, now that's done. You ready, Yuuri?"

Yuuri smiled and nodded back at her. "All ready."

"Don't wait up, Mom, Mama!" Kagome called out before hopping into the well at the same time Yuuri did.

And the familiar rain of light and magic soaked through them and allowed them to pass through.

Shouri watched the lavender light fade away with a scowl, still thinking it was unfair that he couldn't go because of his duties as Metropolitan governor. If only he delayed his election for one more year…

His musings were interrupted at the ring that came out of his breast pocket. Pulling out his celphone, he saw Bob's name on the caller id. He flipped it open and began talking even as he followed his family back to the house.

"Hello?" he greeted back when he heard the older Mazoku's voice on the other line. He frowned when he asked for Kagome. "No, Kagome and Yuu-chan just left for the feudal era.

"No they didn't say when they were coming back, why?" A long silence followed this answer and Shouri frowned, slowing down his walk. The next thing he knew, he was shouting. "You want to WHAT?"

Shouma stopped in his steps and looked back at his oldest son with a look of mild concern on his face. "Is there something wrong, Shou-chan?"

Shouri was just staring at his celphone in disbelief, the dial tone the only remnant of his preious conversation with the former Maou of Earth.

"That was Bob…" he answered his blinking father.

"Oh," Shouma blinked. "What did he want?"

Shouri shook his head in disbelief and scowled thoughtfully across the lawn before answering his father. "He says he's coming to Japan."

/*****/

"Wow… This _is_ better than the kiddie pool…"

Yuuri had wondered if there was a difference between travelling using the well so when he and Kagome dove into the old hole in the ground and found himself surrounded by what seemed to be water, he immediately held his breath. But when he looked back at his twin he found her merely smiling softly at him and serenely allowed the magic to wash over her, he let go of all his worries. That was the time when Yuuri felt the difference between the magic of the well and his own.

First of all, he realized he could breathe. Second of all, he found that, even without moving any of his limbs he was still being propelled forward. Flashes of light; like a thousand twinkling stars surrounded him and Kagome seemed to be wrapped in them as though she was a part of the magic itself. It was as though the well was greeting her like an old friend. And with that magic she wrapped all of them in a thin layer of herself through that energy and, before they knew it, they were all floating to the well's floor. And for some reason, Wolfram, Ken, Conrad and Gwendal were the first ones that arrived there.

It was that simple and easy.

Using the well instead of the kiddie pool really was the best decision.

"Amazing…" Wolfram exclaimed in awe as he kept turning his hands over this way and that and staring at them as though wondering if they really were his and if they really were there. "It was like traversing through a path of stars!"

"It never felt like that when I came here with Yuuri." Ken nodded his eyes also uncharacteristically wide in wonder at the experience.

"Did you feel that, Gwendal?" Conrad glanced at his older brother who was now standing inside the crowded well with him.

The Mazoku lord merely nodded and glanced around the narrow hole they were in. The pure, unadulterated magic that pulled them through the well was nothing short of amazing. It neither felt good or bad; instead it just felt… hallow.

"Where's Yuuri?" Wolfram looked around wildly but saw no sign of their Maou and started hyperventilating once he noticed the king wasn't there. "YUU—"

"UWAAAHHH!"

Everyone looked up to see Yuuri falling straight towards them, complete panic on his face. Fortunately, Conrad was able to react quickly and held out his arms to safely catch the young demon king.

Wolfram was on him in a heartbeat. "YUURI! What happened?"

"Yeah, Shibuya," Ken adjusted his glasses on the top of his nose as he leaned over to look at his friend. "Our landings weren't half as bad as yours."

"Grrr… HOW SHOULD I KNOW?" Yuuri shouted at them in a temper.

Conrad smiled down at the upset Maou gently, instantly calming Yuuri down. "It's getting a little bit crowded in here so why don't we get out?"

"Wait!" Yuuri started trying to get on his own two feet again, his face sincerely worried. "Where's Kagome?"

A burst of soft, pink light illuminated at their feet but Kagome's soft, reprimanding voice made them all look up. "I told you not to let go…!"

In another moment, Kagome appeared in thin air and started to float down towards them, her expression mildly stern. Before Gwendal could think he had already had his arms stretched out to catch her. He had managed to get a hold of her hips and was surprised she weighed nothing as she descended. So he gently maneuvered her floating body against his instead to make sure she wouldn't be uncomfortable when her feet touched the ground, ignoring the way his breath caught at the feel of her against him.

Kagome merely smiled up at him gratefully as soon as she was off her feet and then turned to the others, sweat dropping because they were all practically on top of each other. "Why are you guys still down here? It's getting a bit too crowded, don't you think?"

Wolfram scowled at her. "How exactly _do_ you get out of here?"

"Simple, follow me," she grinned at him before climbing up a collection of thick vines. She accomplished the action like a person who had been doing it all her life. As soon as she hopped over the edge of the old well, she looked down at them with a smile and jerk of her chin. "Come on up, you guys!"

All the men looked at one another until Yuuri shrugged and followed. He would be forever grateful that he had chosen to wear an old pair of jeans and a plain washed out orange shirt for this little outing. Kagome advised them to wear the most comfortable set of clothes that they wouldn't mind throwing away afterwards so his parents made sure all of them had sneakers and faded old garden jeans. It took him a little longer but he had managed to get out of the well somehow and was followed by the others. Everyone looked around the place that was once surrounded by the Higurashi shrine. They could all feel the difference in the air around them. Compared to the world they left behind the air here was impossibly sweeter, tinged by something that tasted like sweet metal stuck to the back of their throats. It reminded them of Shin Makoku somehow.

"Well here we are," Kagome told them with a large grin that told Yuuri she was nervous. "Stick together, guys."

"Where are we going?"

"To Kaede's village," she told Wolfram even as she turned towards the direction of the forest. "Over here."

"Wait." Everyone turned towards Conrad who took off three cylindrical cases from his left shoulder resting there along with the left strap of his black and brown camping bag where he kept his supplies. He shoved one of the cylinders over to each of his brothers. "Just in case."

Kagome blinked back at them. "What are those, anyway?"

The half Mazoku knight smirked at her before pulling out a sword from the container with all the relish of a magician performing a magic trick.

"Right," Kagome rolled her eyes at him wryly. "Of course it would be something like that."

"You never know what could come out of that forest," Conrad tried to defend himself as he and his brothers started strapping their swords around their hips. "Better safe than sorry."

"That's Sir Weller for you." Ken smiled at the scene. "Never letting down his guard."

"Yeah! Just as expected of Conrad!" Yuuri exclaimed proudly.

"Tch, you're feeding his ego." Wolfram scowled. "What could possibly happen?"

She laughed. "Trust me; I know _exactly_ what kind of things can appear out of that forest and for the inexperienced and unprepared it could be fatal."

Yuuri followed her with ever watchful eyes. She was trying too hard and he knew it. She was tense and nervous and who could blame her? Since she was here to save a half demon who probably didn't even want to be saved. Bitterness rose like bile again to his throat but he clenched his teeth tightly and beat it down. He decided that he would be here for her no matter what the reason and he would be damned if anything got in his way.

They entered the forest with supreme alertness and the Maou saw his Mazoku general exchange glances with Conrad's wary brown ones. Both of them felt the imminent danger surrounding them keenly with senses earned from long years of battle experience. It was second nature to veterans like them to be able to sense danger; it was like another sense to them. Gwendal frowned when the threat stayed. It was as though they were being watched by an unseen predator (or predators) that was too afraid to come out. It was all around them and he prepared himself for the word, waking closer over to his sister.

"Don't worry," Kagome told them. Surprised, Yuuri, the Mazoku lord and the Maou's knight looked up at her in confusion. She merely smiled back. "They're all lower level demons that don't have any affinity with each other. If they try to attack then they would do it one by one and not in a group unless someone like Naraku was leading them and cloaking their auras. Besides," here she pointed at a tree they were about to pass. A neatly crafted piece of wooden amulet with some sort of kanji written on it hung from one of its branches. "As long as we take this path they won't be able to come near. It's a talisman Miroku and I made to make sure the villagers are safe from demon attacks whenever we need to leave the village. Like an invisible holy barrier against any demon with evil intentions so it doesn't fry any of my demon friends. I've got the same ones hanging around the shrine back home."

Wolfram blinked. "Does that really happen often? Demons attacking this village?"

"More than I'd like to think."

Wolfram frowned at this. "No, it's impossible! Any demon worth his pride would never lower themselves to attack useless humans."

"Well in a world like Shin Makoku that would be logical since demons there are much more civilized," Kagome told him, sweat dropping at his stubbornness. "But here a lot of demons are driven by their more primal nature. The more intelligent ones that can actually take human form are the most dangerous so you might want to watch out for those. It's always better to use your best judgment since not all of them are like that; just look at Shippou. Other than that, treat this place like an ordinary battle field guys. You're in the Feudal Era now; it's a whole different ball park over here.

"So let me give you a tour! So, as you know, that clearing back there is the well that takes me back home," she began cheerfully making Yuuri and Ken sweat drop at her silliness and attempt on lightening the morbid warning. "And that's a tree over there and… oh! Yes! That's grass! Well then this here's the forest and…"

She then suddenly stopped in front of a large tree practically covered with vines as thick as the ones they used to climb out of the well. All Yuuri could see was the back of her head as she stood there and stared at the hulking mass of greenery before realizing that this tree was in the same place as the sacred tree that was in the shrine's backyard.

As everyone stared she walked carefully towards the tree and placed her palm flat against the bark and looked up at a spot where a hole was seemingly lodged against the trunk.

"And this…" she didn't have to turn and look at them for them to see the nostalgia on her face. The tone of her voice relayed it all. "…was where it all began…"

Yuuri remembered his sister's story that this is where she found the bound Inuyasha sleeping; an arrow pierced into his heart pinning him to a tree. Indeed, this was where it all began. Her heartache, her tears and her loss. He could practically smell them off her.

He frowned when she leaned her forehead against the old trunk as though asking strength from it… The Maou could almost feel her nervousness and her trepidation. He could sense her anguish through their link and the fact that she was trying to keep him from feeling the full force of it did not sit well with the soukoku king. Yet before he could tell her to stop blocking her feelings from him, she inhaled deeply and straightened and returned to her overly cheerful demeanor. "Alright then we go this way until we reach the edge of the forest."

Even Wolfram was looking at her worriedly and they could only imagine the tension she was feeling right now. Gwendal's face darkened. His thoughts were bordering on murder. It was getting quite alarming.

The rest of the walk through the forest was silent.

"And here we have… Kaede's village…"

The first impression they got were rice fields. Lots of rice fields. Then the wooden houses that didn't look stable or secure enough to be lived in. People in roughly hewn clothing worked on the fields and the others could be seen doing random chores. Everyone looked as though they could use baths and there was not a spec of brightness except for what was provided by the afternoon sun. In other words everything was poor looking. However, for some reason, this scene did not look dreary.

But the one thing they noticed that averted their eyes from the poverty stricken scene in front of them and led them to forget their pity and disgust… was the relief and serenity on Kagome's face. It was just the kind of face someone made when they have finally come home…

They walked in between the rice fields with Kagome leading their procession. Yuuri and Ken seemed amazed that they really are in the Feudal Era; a milestone on Japanese history. Gwendal, Wolfram and Conrad were all alert, uneasy at being on foreign soil surrounded by humans and were surprised when the farmers and everyone they met suddenly stopped and bowed to Kagome as though they were… praying to her.

"Hello, everyone, I'm back!" Kagome just called out to them cheerfully waving.

"Hey, Kagome, what's up with that?" Yuuri asked his twin, a little creeped out that someone close to him was getting such a reaction from people.

"That's natural, Shibuya," Ken tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Priestesses are servants of gods and during this period, gods are the ones who decide life and death so having someone like Kagome in their village is a godsend."

"Besides," Kagome smiled sadly, never looking at her friends and brother. "They just do that because I remind them of someone."

Ken blinked and stared intently on the young woman before speaking. "You mean because you look like Kikyou?"

She didn't get the chance to reply as they were stopped by a farmer's wife and a couple of her children who handed Kagome a basket of vegetables. Conrad immediately moved to take the basket from the young woman.

"Ah, thank you, Demon-sama." the woman bowed to him respectfully but there was no fear in her stance.

Conrad blinked. "You know what I am but you're not afraid?"

"As long as you're with Kagome-sama then there's nothing to be afraid of," one of the gap toothed children declared. "Kagome-sama always has demons around her and they never hurt us."

The other child nodded in agreement. "Besides, if you try to hurt us, Kagome-sama will _fry_ you!"

Yuuri twitched and sweat dropped at his sister. "Just what are you teaching these kids?"

"Ehehe, now, now, children…" Kagome sweat dropped herself at the bloodthirsty looks on the young ones faces before facing their mother. "Thank you for the vegetables, I'll send Kaede-baachan your regards."

The woman bowed to her again and was about to leave but then stopped and spoke to her once more. "Speaking of which, Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama came by Kaede-sama's the other day and took Rin-sama."

Kagome blinked at this and became thoughtful before smiling again. "Thanks, I owe you one."

The mother and children bowed to her again happily and walked off, used to her strange way of speaking.

"I wonder what he wanted," Kagome thought curiously as she continued walking. "He usually comes by every month and it's only been a week since his last visit to give Rin some new clothes."

"Who?"

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome told her twin. "Don't you remember? I told you about him before; Sesshoumaru the Lord of the West."

"Ah!" Ken slapped his fist sideways over his palm. "Inuyasha's half brother."

Kagome nodded distractedly while the three brothers glanced at each other curious about this 'Lord'. "I better talk to Kaede-baachan first."

Her steps quickened as they neared the outskirts of the village and the greetings never ceased left and right as the people gave her various offerings and gifts up until they reached the worn down hut's doorstep. They were no more than three feet from the door when an old woman with an eye patch over her left eye stepped out of the dilapidated hut and greeted her.

"Kagome," her voice was gruff but the men around the young woman in question could see the affection behind the voice. "I am glad to see you are well and back."

"Grandma Kaede…" Kagome stepped forward and gave the old woman a hug. The embrace was long and lingering and the old woman seemed to understand what happened.

"So it was my sister again?" Came the old woman's weary sigh. Kagome merely nodded on her shoulder in answer. "What has she done this time?"

It was Yuuri who grimly stepped forward to fill the old woman in on the details. "If you're talking about Kikyou then she didn't do anything much… Except get an army of demons and dark priestesses and almost flayed Kagome alive."

Kaede looked at the young man who had come to speak for the younger woman and her lone eye widened at the power inherent in his aura. Her stillness made Kagome step back and look at her in worry. "Are you alright, Grandma Kaede?"

Kaede turned back to her young friend with an incredulous look on her face, wondering how she could not be intimidated by such a powerful demon at her side. "You are friends with such a powerful demon lord?"

Kagome sweat dropped but backed away to Yuuri's side, starting with the introductions. "Erm… Grandma Kaede, well… (sigh) This is Yuuri. He's my twin brother and he's actually… well, I know it's kinda hard to believe but he's a Maou. _The_ Maou. And he's from another world. Not of the past or future just… another world, and he kinda bullied me to take him here so…"

Kaede's eye widened at this.

"And this is his Great Sage, my friend Ken," she gestured to Murata who waved at her cheerfully. "And the others at the back are Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram."

Kaede blinked at them. "Demon lords and a hanyou… from another world?"

"Um yeah, why don't we go inside and I'll tell you all about it, Grandma Kaede?"

The old priestess blinked again and marveled at just how many surprises Kagome could possibly take with her without crashing down; the girl was an unfathomable source of unpredictability that she had yet to understand. One thing she was sure of though Kagome sure knew how to pick her allies. First the great daiyoukai, Sesshoumaru and now this. But wait… brother? Did this mean Kagome has demon blood deep inside her? Impossible!

"Very well, let's go inside then."

Kagome nodded happily at her before moving to enter the small hut, wondering if it was going to fit them all when she realized something.

"Kaede? Where are Inuyasha and Kikyou?"

Kaede blinked and turned back to her as though surprised at her question. "Now that I think about it, I have not heard from them since yesterday."

Kagome stiffened at that and was about to open her mouth to ask when a scream and the sound of wreckage came from the direction of the village.

"Kaede-sama! Kagome-sama!"

Immediately, Gwendal, Wolfram and Conrad were in front of the soukoku rulers and the dark haired priestess, their hands on their swords and ready to defend them from the approaching mass of hysteria in the form of the villagers. Kaede, however, stepped towards the crowd.

"What happened?"

"Kaede-sama!" a man cried as he stumbled closer. "Tengu! Tengu are attacking our village!"

"Impossible!" Kaede gasped as she looked towards the now smoking village in the distance. "The talismans should have kept it away!"

"Damn it!" Kagome cussed as she grabbed a set of bow and arrows leaning against the hut. "Have everyone huddle here and take care of any injuries, Grandma Kaede."

"Right."

"Elder, I'll need you to assist in the evacuation of the villagers. All capable women are to assist Kaede-sama in attending to the wounded and I will need all able bodied men to defend this place with your lives."

"Yes, Kagome-sama!" Everyone responded as she walked among them with sure, long legged, confident strides while giving out orders.

"And you kids," she raised her brows at the children eagerly awaiting their orders. "I need you to stay here defending the younger children."

"Yes, Kagome-sama!" they all chorused, proud to be of use.

Grimly, the old woman nodded her agreement. It was clear that there was no one here who would even think of not following her orders and Yuuri just gaped. He knew he was not the only one surprised among his party but Kagome had given out orders like a war general; like a leader. Quietly and competently and so confident that these people had no other choice but to follow her. But he became alarmed when he noticed that she was already walking away towards the danger. It also did not escape Yuuri's notice that she was planning on facing the danger alone. Yuuri started to follow her along with Ken and his retainers. "Kagome!"

But she wasn't listening and he was having a near heart attack. If the Tengu they were yelling about was the same kind of Tengu he remembered from childhood fairy tales then they were in a whole heap of crap. A shared glance with Murata confirmed his thoughts and his legs began running faster.

She was running down from the shrine and to the village. For a moment, they lost her… and then when they burst into the heart of the erupting explosions they found her standing straight and valiantly in front of a mother and her child, her arrow drawn straight and true right at an _army_ of house sized Tengu sneering at her in derision.

"Priestess…" the largest Tengu's crazed, bloody eyes looked her up and down. "Give me the Shikon no Tama."

"You know better than to ask for something you can't have," Kagome told the creature from between gritted teeth. "I'm giving you the chance to walk away here, buddy; I suggest you and your pals take it."

"_No_!" the Tengu roared. "I've waited all this time for the barrier on this village to go down! You _will_ _not_ deny me!"

"How did you get in here?" Kagome calmly asked back, still guarding the mother and child. "The village should have been protected against any demon who is not allowed entry. I should have been able to feel your presence on my way up here."

The Tengu leader smirked back at her. "Your undead priestess seems to want the same things I do… She broke the talismans on your northern borders and covered our presence that allowed us to pass—"

"That's a lie!" Yuuri saw his sister's cool façade break in angry disbelief. "Inuyasha would _never_ let that happen!"

"The hanyou is merely her puppet now," Tengu sneered at her. "That is what you get for loving a _human_ woman."

"Shut _up_!" Kagome screamed before launching the arrow back at the thick assembly of demons, the single arrow's passage dissolving the tengu in its path.

They took this as a signal to attack and immediately the place turned into a warzone. Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram sprang into action; swords drawn and cutting through the flock of wind demons while comets of pure holy energy ripped through the air.

Gwendal went for the Tengu leader after cleaving his way through a mass of them and his sword was deflected by an iron hard, bird like claw. Upon seeing him, the Tengu leader's eyes widened in surprise.

"A taiyoukai…?" he breathed in disbelief before pushing Gwendal off, making the Mazoku lord's smaller stature fly back gracefully on his parted feet, his sword arching gracefully in the air and decapitating several tengu who had thought to take advantage of his seeming moment of imbalance. "_Curse_ that undead priestess! She did not say anything about taiyoukai being present here now that Lord Sesshoumaru's ward is away!"

The Tengu's great wings expanded from his back releasing a powerful gush of wind that had Gwendal and his brothers thrusting their swords to the ground and knelt on one knee to keep them from being blown away from the scene. Seeing this opportunity, the Tengu king glanced at Yuuri's direction and smirked, deciding he would make an easy hostage the wind demon glided over to the dark haired soukoku like a spear. Wolfram and Conrad yelled for him to dodge however Yuuri, responding to this threat, merely erected a blue barrier that kept the wind demon away from him and Murata.

The Tengu leader was thrown clear across the village, taking a row of houses along with him. Lying down and looking over at the afternoon sun, he contemplated his discovery with no little shock and fear.

_What was that youki just now…?_

"Boss!" one of the lesser tengu flew up to him, glancing fearfully at Conrad and Wolfram who were now in front of Yuuri, steadily slicing through their once fearsome army with frightening efficiency. "I've never seen anything like them! We're down to less than half of our group and they haven't even used any youki yet! We need to retreat, it's getting too dangerous!"

At that, the Tengu leader's eyes turned bloodshot and widened in anger as he shot up to his feet again. "NO! I have already gotten _this_ close! I will get that power! Ignore the taiyoukai and attack the priestess _directly_!"

A collective roar responded to his command and in a moment, the remainder of what was left of the Tengu army converged into a whole swarm with the Tengu leader at the lead and headed straight for the priestess.

A pink bubble of a barrier appeared before Kagome and the mother and child as well when she saw the enemy coming.

Yuuri's eyes widened at the sight. "KAGOME!"

But Kagome merely released another arrow, glowing brightly as a star with her holy energy. The Tengu leader tried to dodge it by flying up in the air but the arrow still caught his left wing. The appendage burned in a flash, like alcohol saturated napkins.

The monster roared in pain and outrage and the rest threw themselves at Kagome; their much larger size and number sure to bury his sister in a bad situation. Yuuri dropped his barrier and started running for his twin. "KAGOME!"

"_Yuuri_!"

"_Shibuya_!"

But several feet away from them, Kagome merely anchored her feet to the ground, drew her palm back and met the Tengu's large formation with it as soon as they met her barrier. They all watched as the long line of wind demons followed the fate of their leader's doomed wing, their remains floating around her like ripped, black leaves and their cries fading in a roar over the entire valley.

Yuuri looked at his sister in shock. He knew she told him about her powers but had never actually seen her use it to this extent. And she wasn't even _mad_ yet. It made the hairs on the back of his head stand up and he was sure every one in his entourage did too. They were all looking back at her with wide eyes and more than a little trepidation. The Maou made a mental note to himself never to get on Kagome's bad side ever again.

They all watched her turn away from the falling pieces of demon and gently knelt down in front of the villagers she rescued. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"K-Kagome-sama, thank Kami…!" the mother was hugging her wailing child close, her tears falling gratefully. "I almost lost my child…!"

"It's going to be fine," Kagome told her and placed a soothing hand over the child's head and slowly, the wails turned into manageable sniffles. "Please go up to Kaede-sama's and have the men come down here; we'll need to start on the repairs and keep what's left of the animals from predators; tell the women to set up camp around Kaede's hut and make preparations to spend the night outside. With any luck, there shouldn't be any rain tonight."

"Y-yes, Kagome-sama!" the mother said happily as Yuuri finally reached her and helped her up to her feet. After a bow, the mother and her child walked away.

It took a while for Yuuri to find his voice again and called out to her. "Kagome, are you okay?"

Kagome nodded to him a bit distractedly. "Yeah, sorry about that; are any of you guys hurt?"

"We're good!" Ken called out to her with his usual grin as he started for them with Wolfram in tow. "Wow that was some welcome party."

"The talismans are broken, I've got to restore them before any more demons come looking for the Shikon no Tama." She answered back without preamble. "Something's not right here, what is she _planning_?"

"So Kikyou broke the talismans," Ken's face was now serious as he stood beside the dark haired priestess. Nobody could read the expression on his face. "And Inuyasha knows."

"No, it can't be; Inuyasha loves this village more than anything!" she protested, making Yuuri and Gwendal frown. "He can't have been willing! He can't have—"

"KAGOME-SAMA!"

Everyone looked up to see a young man with a wooden medicine box running desperately towards her followed by the rest of the men from the village they left at Kaede's hut. Gwendal immediately took a stance in front of her but she bypassed him and went to meet the young man. "What is it?"

"It's a disaster, Kagome-sama!" he yelled as he stopped in front of her, out of breath. Allowing himself to catch his breath for a bit, he looked up at her with pure horror on his face. "I was passing the plains a mountain from here and saw the Imagawa's army advancing from the pass!"

"Already?" Kagome asked in surprise but then blinked and frowned. "Well I guess it _is_ about that time of the year again."

"_Why are you talking about that like it happens every day_?" Yuuri yelled at her in fright.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him in exasperation for a moment. "Because it _does_."

"But wait what's wrong with that?" Ken asked with a furrow of his brow. "Marching armies aren't that unusual here, isn't it?"

"It's true!" the young man almost looked like he was going into a fit of hysteria. "But they would usually pass over this village because it's too remote and inconsequential, nobody really notices us so we're safe from most of the looting and invasions! Lady Kagome's luck has protected us all this time! But now as they were passing by, all of a sudden Inuyasha came and attacked them!"

Yuuri heard his sister quietly gasp in horror at that and he turned to see how pale her face had become, her hand over her mouth in shock. "No…"

"It was horrible, Kagome-sama," the young man swallowed as though fighting off the bile in his throat. "Afterwards he ran off into this direction with Imagawa-sama's army following him and now they're headed this way!"

"Once they come they will want to take revenge for what Inuyasha has done to them!" one of the village men was almost weeping. "Kagome-sama, please! My wife has just given birth! It was a difficult birthing and Kaede-sama says we cannot move her so much! I had barely had enough time to lift her when the Tengu attacked!"

"Kagome-sama!" one of the villagers prostrated himself in front of her in desperation. "Please! My mother is ill! She won't survive it if we move her out of the village!"

"Kagome-sama," yet another villager spoke imploringly. "The crops…! If we leave them be and let them be destroyed our children will have nothing to eat this winter!"

"We'll all starve to death!"

"We're going to die!"

"Kagome-sama…"

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome-sama, please!"

Yuuri had to stare at all these people laying their lives on his sister's feet and then at Kagome who stood there among them being worshipped like a goddess in complete, dumbfounded shock. It was true that he heard a lot of stories about Kagome's adventures in the Feudal Era but this was the first time that the reality of her burdens had hit him like a heavy slap in the face.

When he became king of Shin Makoku he had always known that he had the lives and the welfare of its people in his hands so he pretty much made it a point never to involve it in wars; he remembered how his sister would tell him about the wars and bloodshed she had seen in the Feudal Era and it was one of the reasons why he was so desperate to avoid it at all costs.

The Maou didn't need to have Gwendal or any of his retainers bowing to him, begging to save them; if anything, _they_ were more than eager to save _him_; mostly from himself. Usually he just poked his nose in everybody else's business and if need be he took things by the horns and settled them there. He realized he had notoriety. He had the advantage. He had everything and it has been all too easy with equally powerful allies… He had the advantage of instantly owning an international level team.

But Kagome was given the underdogs, the bottom feeders of the league and she had made do all this time. Yuuri had never had to witness the actual suffering his actions and decisions in the past have prevented and he was never more thankful than now. If he were in Kagome's position in Shin Makoku he knew he would buckle under the weight of such a burden. Even now, seeing all of these people desperately clawing at his twin, begging that she save them made his knees buckle. Yuuri was glad he was a man of peace; because he knew he would never survive a war.

The very idea of people looking at him the way they were looking at Kagome right now chilled him to the bone and made him sweat in panic.

"They're going to be destroyed," Conrad muttered unnecessarily as he looked at the debris and the unfortified borders of the village. "It's just not possible for them to even put on a fight against any army with these kinds of defenses."

"We should evacuate the villagers," Gwendal turned to Yuuri as he spoke. "Women and children first; and then we can hold off the army right here while they escape."

"Alright I will—"

"Wait." Everyone turned around to see Kagome trying desperately to regain her composure.

Yuuri could just feel her trying to hold in all the shock and the anger and panic that would personally make Yuuri nauseous had he been the one experiencing it first hand and not muted like this to focus on the problem at hand. She was still upset about what she had learned about what had Kikyou and Inuyasha done but Yuuri could feel his sister pushing this away in a corner of her mind to pick apart later. They all watched as she walked over to a clean stump of a formerly perfectly good tree, crossed her legs daintily and tried to look calm. The villagers ran and bowed low before her again.

Conrad nodded his approval at this and when Yuuri eyed him questioningly the knight explained. "She doesn't want them to panic any more than they already are so she's acting calm. It is good."

"It looks like this isn't the first time something like this has ever happened here," Wolfram grumbled, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched. "Just what is this place?"

"A warzone," Gwendal answered him bleakly, his blue eyes trained on the priestess with helpless concern as though he wanted to jump in and help her but knew he didn't have the right. "This is a place where people die."

They watched Kagome take a deep breath again before speaking. "Pick yourselves up from the ground; I told you I'm not a lord and I am _not_ a goddess so quit that, please?"

Reluctantly, the villagers did what she asked, everyone not prostrating but looking up at her still on their knees. Kagome sighed, knowing this was as good as she was going to get with these people. "Alright, you said it's the Imagawa who's coming, correct?"

"Yes, Kagome-sama, I recognized their symbol clearly!" the young man who told them of the impending attack answered eagerly.

"That means they're about to raid someone else's army, any idea whose?" she asked again, half lost in thought.

"The Takeda clan has been growing quite powerful lately but," one of the older village men answered her. "They have recently formed an alliance when Lord Takeda's son and Lord Imagawa's daughter married last year."

"The Tokugawa is also gaining in their strength," one of the middle aged men said. "They are currently near our western borders setting up fortifications of their own. I have heard they are trying to extend their borders with the help of Nobunaga's army."

A collective shudder ran through the crowd at the mention of the feudal lord's name.

"So it must be the Tokugawa then," Kagome thought out loud. She looked up at the sky and Yuuri glanced at his wristwatch. Apparently it was about three o'clock in the afternoon now. "Confronting them is no good, even if we have our people evacuated they won't be able to make it far enough. Besides which if we confront them directly then we might be sparking a reason to put this village under other armies' radars and I don't want that happening. The last thing this place needs is more attention from people like Nobunaga. I refuse to have this village turned into a battlefield. We have to distract those two armies away from the village."

"But how?" one of the villagers' voice rose in a panic. "Any actions taken from our side would lead us all to death from either army!"

Kagome ignored him. "How long before the Imagawa finds us?"

"They will pass by the western border at around early evening."

"Will the sky give us any light?"

"I am afraid not."

Kagome expelled a breath, making her bangs ruffle over her eyes and she stayed silent for a while. Yuuri wanted to go to her so badly and he almost did but Ken held him back. He looked back at the Great Sage and saw the serious glaze behind his glasses.

"Remember where you are," Ken told him firmly. "Wait for her to ask for your help."

"But—"

"The Takeda, Imagawa and the Tokugawa are prime clans in the Warring States Era," Ken hissed at him quietly, keeping an eye out for Kagome. "Someday the Imagawa will be supplanted by the Tokugawa after the lord they have now— Yoshimoto— dies; and then the wars would take place between those two clans until Nobunaga finally conquers Japan. Trust me; you do _not_ want to get involved in this."

Yuuri barely remembered his history lessons at all but he did remember snippets of lessons from memory and a lot of video games after featuring said era. One of them involved the vicious Demon Lord who liked the drink sake out of his enemies' skulls. He turned green at the thought.

Yuuri and Ken paled at the name again and even flinched this time.

Wolfram glanced at both of them and then settled for glaring at Yuuri jealously. "Hey! Who's this Nobunaga guy? _Yuuri, you cheater_!"

"_No, it's not what you think_!" Yuuri yelled, flinching away from his fiancé.

"Alright," Kagome suddenly spoke, immediately taking everyone's attention. "Just in case I want everyone evacuated to the caves and I want you to leave a group of the best fighters armed and ready to guard them; the rest of you are coming with me."

"Do you have a plan then, Kagome-sama?" one of the younger men asked eagerly.

Yuuri could tell she was scared but she kept a cheerful smile on her face for her audience. "Yup; but I'm gonna need your help, alright?"

"Anything for you, Kagome-sama!" the villagers cheered. "All you need to do is ask!"

"Then gather all the dry tinder and leaves you can; even small twigs. Lightly sprinkle grease over them then put them in barrels and get ready to wheel them out," she turned to the young man who reported the attack again. "And hurry. We don't have much time."

As one, the villagers got up to do her bidding.

/*****/

"They follow her like she holds their entire lives in their hands."

Gwendal looked aside to his younger brother Conrad and had to agree with the knight's observations. The Mazoku general had to admit, he was impressed as well.

As soon as she issued her orders, the men of the village scurried to act. And, as though she had forgotten all about their presence, Kagome walked back to Kaede's hut to prepare. They merely glanced at one another before their Maou shrugged and followed his sister, curious as to what she was about to do.

Gwendal was pretty amazed at how a single word from her became law for these people as everyone rushed about as per her instructions. Even the old woman Kaede nodded at her words as the younger priestess handed the old woman a medical kit from her own backpack and instructed her to treat the injured at the cave. When the men she was speaking with earlier returned with the tinder she asked for, she told them to scatter the dried up debris across the path outside the valley where the village was located nearest the camp the Tokugawa army had set up and even though it was quite a distance from the village, they complied easily without even questioning her.

But the Mazoku lord was worried about her. All afternoon she hadn't said a word to them and there were times when she seemed to be moving inside her own world and he just knew that whatever she was thinking about it would have had something to do with Inuyasha.

He gritted his teeth at the name. How convenient that the first pain she would have to deal with upon stepping into this place was the hanyou's name. And now she was burying herself in her duty to protect the villagers as thought trying to make herself too busy to think about what had happened.

Gwendal wanted to shake her. He wanted her to tell him what she was feeling, what she was thinking, what she was worrying about. He wanted to crawl under her skin and into her mind and die there. He wanted to know what made her feel, what made her think, what made her function…

He clenched his fists tightly, carefully maintaining his stoic mask as he helped the villagers take down trees for their houses.

Images of her smile the night before when they rode on the Ferris wheel filled his mind and he couldn't help but hurt for her. And hurt for himself for wanting to take that hurt away knowing he couldn't. That he had no right.

They started out of the village just before sunset. And the five watched as she stood on the edge of a cliff, looking beyond the outside of the valley where her village as located. Almost directly below it, they could see the Tokugawa army resting in their camp for the night.

"Kagome-sama," one of the villagers who came with them knelt behind her as he spoke. "We've set out the tinder along the path just as you ordered."

"Good," Kagome answered without looking back; she kept her eyes over the horizon. "Was anyone discovered?"

"No."

"Have everyone stay put until I tell you otherwise, then. Make sure to tell them not to make any noises or make themselves noticed by the either of the two armies."

"Yes, Kagome-sama." The villager answered before going away.

None of them could understand what it was she wanted to do but she didn't seem to be in a talking mood so Murata advised them all to give her some space for the time being; however Yuuri had never been a patient person.

So he came up behind his sister, willing her to look at him. "Kagome, what exactly are you planning?"

"I need to get that army away from the village, Yuuri."

"That's not what I meant."

"….."

"…You don't have to hide it, I can feel it, you know?" he saw her stiffen and knew he'd hit a nerve and decided to go on. "If Inuyasha really did lead them to the village by attacking them—"

"No!" she whirled around to face him, her face a mask of anger and denial and Gwendal could see tears glistening at the very edges of her dark eyes. A bitter tang rang in his mouth at her defense of the treacherous hanyou. "It's not him! It couldn't be!"

Yuuri's face hardened at the face of her denunciation. "Stop being so blind! It's clear what he really wants now and he doesn't care about—"

"I said _no_! You don't understand, Yuuri!" she snapped back at him angrily, meeting his eyes with her own. "Inuyasha loves that village; he defended it so many times it would make me sick just to count them! He would _never_ hurt those people intentionally!"

"What on earth would make you think that?" Yuuri retorted, frustrated that she would still be so blind. "What possible reason could you have for still believing in him?"

Her face broke for a moment and the Mazoku king saw her lower lip tremble slightly before she stood up straight and answered her twin brother quietly. "Because most of all his best memories are in that village. It's his precious connection to the human side of him; the one that reminds him most of his mother."

Yuuri raised his brows at this in a silent question.

Kagome elaborated at her twin's questioning stare. "All his life he had been scorned, hated, abused beyond belief. He was just a _child_, Yuuri! And he had to run away from other demons who want to kill him and humans who want to hunt him down just because he's different! In that village he found acceptance from the villagers; he became more than just a hanyou when I accepted him! He found his humanity again. He became their protector, their friend and most of all…" here she swallowed hard and her eyes fell to the ground even as her other hand fingered the subjugation beads around her neck. "It was there that he met the love of his life…

"So I know he would never attack the village or cause it any harm; at least not willingly," she met his eyes again with that stubborn light glowing from them that the Maou's general knew all too well. "And _that_ is why I still believe."

Gwendal had to look away before he could be caught staring; the last thing he needed was for either of his brothers to discover his suspicious feelings for the Maou's sister. He was a proud Mazoku and he will _not_ be pitied. "They're here."

Kagome tensed at Gwendal's whisper and peered over the edge of the high cliff she chose to watch the invaders coming in. Even though it was dark because of the waning crescent moon they were still able to use the benefit of torches. She had to admit that if it weren't for the fact that they were watching out for them she would have missed the army entirely.

She took a deep breath and peered over at the bottom of the cliff where the Tokugawa army was settling in and knew if it were any normal circumstance, they would never even notice the passing of the other army. Whoever was leading the Imagawa knew the land pretty well. The dark haired priestess grimly assumed that the Imagawa was probably planning on assaulting the Tokugawa and take them by surprise after massacring the village. Oh if only Inuyasha were he—

She caught her breath at the thought; she can't think about that right now she still had something to do.

"Thanks," she told Gwendal as she began to reach for an arrow from her quiver. It was the arrow she had been preparing earlier; the tip wrapped in gauze glazed with grease when she noticed something and winced. Flinching, she reluctantly turned towards the youngest Mazoku brother. "Hey, Wolfram, can you set up a small fire?"

"Eh?" Wolfram was confused. "Have you forgotten that we can't use our powers here?"

"Come on; just try it, I just need a small spark." She cajoled him.

Wolfram frowned and took a look at his hand. It wouldn't hurt, would it? Besides, he was feeling quite different here than when he was in Yuuri's time. So he shrugged and held out his palm upwards to her as though offering her a platter. He concentrated on his chants and…

"It worked!" Yuuri exclaimed as a small spark popped out of Wolfram's hand. "How did you _do _that, Wolfram?"

"I… I don't know…" the von Bielfeld prince answered, in a daze that his powers were actually even usable here.

"Guess you're just that awesome, eh Wolfie?" Kagome grinned at his glare before stretching out the now flaming tipped arrow and aimed for the approaching army.

"What are you doing?" Wolfram hissed. "One single flaming arrow won't stop an army that large!"

Kagome wasn't listening and Wolfram was about to say something else but Conrad held him back by the shoulder, stopping him. Gwendal, however, couldn't help but stare at the form she presented and waited silently to see what she was about to do. His breath was caught in his throat and he couldn't help but note just how beautiful the priestess was at that moment. She looked like an ethereal goddess involved in a hunt. Her form lithe and fine against the dark skyline outlined by the flame; her eyes shone with such intensity that he was tempted to stand before her just to receive such avid, single minded attention.

She waited until the Imagawa army was only a few feet away from where they would pass the Tokugawa, checked the wind again…

…And released the arrow. It sang and blazed through the air like a fiery shooting star that looked harmless enough…

…until it hit the dry tinder soaked in grease that lay in wait at their horses' feet.

It was a perfect shot.

The fire created a wall in their path and the soldiers, it blazed high and merrily. The soldiers were skilled enough to pull back their horses before they hit the flaming wall and their commander was shouting out orders for the men to be on guard and find out where the attack was coming from.

They created such a commotion that the Tokugawa army— which was still quite a few miles across from the beset Imagawa— saw the flames and heard the shouting echoing in the still night. They charged at the Imagawa and the chase was on as the Imagawa army retreated; cursing all the while. Soon the quiet in the night returned and all that was left was the picture of the burning tinder still ablaze cheerfully in the night.

"I see." Gwendal muttered, impressed and felt Wolfram and Yuuri's eyes turn to him. Conrad and Murata smirked as they too figured out what she had just done.

"What? What happened?" Yuuri asked, blinking.

It was the Great Sage who opted to answer his question. "She took advantage of the situation. She knew we won't be able to handle the army ourselves and she knew that the Tokugawa army— the Imagawa's enemy— was nearby so she destroyed their night cover and made it look like the Imagawa was going to attack the Tokugawa in a surprise maneuver tonight. This way, the Tokugawa would be able to drive them away and we won't have to lift a finger."

Gwendal, a skilled tactician and a war veteran himself, couldn't help but be impressed. It was truly a brilliant plan.

"Douse the fire," Kagome told the villagers who had looked on in awe at what just happened, too far away to hear their explanation. "Clear the area and don't leave a single trace behind. Then return to the village; we should be safe now. Have the elder instruct everyone on rebuilding the broken houses and tell Kaede to round up the women and children for tonight and let them rest. I think it's about time you let your families know you are all safe as well."

The villagers cheered, raising their farming tools and practically embracing each other in their relief before following her orders and happily made their way to the village leaving Kagome and Yuuri's entourage to watch them go.

Yuuri gaped from the wall of fire in the distance to his sister's relieved face before speaking. "And you do this every time you're here?"

Kagome sweat dropped at his reaction. "It's not as bad as it looks; it's usually quite peaceful around here."

"If this is peaceful then I don't even want to know what chaotic looks like." Wolfram muttered.

She had to roll her eyes at him. "You guys…"

"We should go back," Conrad told them with a smile. "We should be able to help with the repairs to the village again."

"Thanks," Kagome sighed at him with a grateful smile. "It's going to be a bother but I can't just leave them like that."

"What a drag," Wolfram sulked. "I would never be expected to do such demeaning labor back in Shin Mako—"

He was cut off when Kagome suddenly stopped and stiffened in her tracks. Before Gwendal could ask her what the matter was, she had turned back towards them with a fierce expression on her face. It was the same expression she had when she fought the Tengu army earlier. Her right hand glowed with pink energy as her hair began to float around her head in an invisible wind.

Knowing what she was capable of and standing this close to her, Wolfram was scared out of his wits at the sight. "B-but I'll do my best I swe—"

He was cut off again when she held out her hand at them and the pink holy energy burst forward. Wolfram screamed and ducked to the ground, knowing he would never survive that in point blank range. However, Gwendal merely stood still staring at Kagome with wide, surprised eyes. When she thrust her hand forward, he saw it wasn't to attack them but to place a strong barrier around them all before another burst of pink holy energy, strong enough to make him lurch forward slightly, hit them from behind.

Wolfram recovered when he noticed this. "Wh-what was that…?"

Gwendal turned around just in time to see an arrow also bursting with pink energy trying to push its way through Kagome's barrier in an attempt to get to them. The Mazoku lord could feel how powerful this arrow was and knew if Kagome hadn't protected them they would have already been purified.

Which meant someone just tried to harm them.

With a flick of a wrist, Kagome deflected the arrow completely and dispersed her barrier at the same time. It cleared their sight away to see the slim figure of a woman outlined against the night sky right on the cliff Kagome had just vacated.

"Well done, Kagome," a feminine voice said followed by a series of short claps. "Again you have exceeded my expectations."

Gwendal saw the soukoku priestess' surprise before it was painted over by anger and she faced the newcomer with a stern glare. In a flash of an eye Wolfram had placed himself in front of Yuuri and Murata while Gwendal and Conrad drew their swords and stood in front of Kagome's shocked form with fiercely protective expressions on their faces.

"Kikyou…" he heard Kagome whisper her name and Gwendal felt himself stiffen; so this was the woman who had tried to kill her…

The Mazoku general tightened his hold on his sword.

Kikyou assessed them all with cold, expressionless brown eyes. The glowing soul stealers weaved around the undead priestess in a parody of ghostly fingers running over a lover's skin. She was eerily beautiful, Gwendal had to admit, but she lacked the vibrant warmth that made up Kagome's whole being. Where Kagome was full and alive this Kikyou merely looked… empty. "I see that you have not lost your penchant for associating with these filthy youkai. You shame what it is to become a miko."

"Sorry to disappoint you," he heard Kagome answer back sarcastically, her voice still soft but unwavering. "We never really did manage to meet eye to eye about how a miko should or should not act. If it helps then you should stop thinking of me as a miko. Because if being a miko confines me to thinking merely within the shades of black and white then I'd rather not be that at all."

The temperature in Kikyou's gaze dropped one degree lower. "You've grown quite a tongue on you these past few years."

"Shut it, Kikyou," Kagome finally hissed at her making Gwendal blink. Even without looking at her he could tell the young woman was very angry. "Where is Inuyasha?"

The breathless way she said the hanyou's name nearly made him flinch.

"Is that all?" Kikyou mocked her by raising an eyebrow. "Very well then but just so you know, he is mine now."

"He's always been yours," Kagome told her in a calm voice. "He's said it as much."

"He's not the one with a problem understanding the situation," Kikyou shot back with the faintest traces of anger in her voice. "It is _you_ who have a problem realizing that by continuosly coming back here."

"I have a duty to the village."

"Excuses."

"Probably," the younger woman answered. "But putting that aside you haven't answered my question yet. Where is he, Kikyou?"

"Right here," Kikyou waved her hand and, from below the cliff behind her jumped a silhouette with silvery hair, dog ears, jagged marks on the cheeks and bloodshot eyes. He landed on bare, clawed feet and settled at the undead priestess' feet like a pet while snarling violently at them all mindlessly. The new set of beads around his neck, all made of white stones and pieces of bone from various other demons glowed as bright as his hair under the faint light of the stars. The waning crescent moon behind them completed a rather picturesque backdrop. Kikyou clearly relished the look on Kagome's shocked and frightened face. "Say hello, my love."

Gwendal looked at Inuyasha carefully. How could Kagome love this… thing? It didn't even look like it had a human mind!"

The Mazoku general then heard Kagome's shocked gasp and he forced himself not to turn away from Inuyasha and Kikyou who were obviously threats at that moment. But he was surprised when Kagome slowly stepped forward until she was beside him. He glanced at her when she lifted a trembling hand to cover her mouth and he could see the shocked pain in her ebony eyes at the sight of the hanyou. It made him feel sick and angry.

"How did this happen…?" she asked weakly as she stared at Inuyasha's wild figure. "The Tessaiga—"

"Is no more," Kikyou dismissed the sword with a flick of her wrist. "I have thrown it away for the worms to feast on."

"What have you done to him?" Kagome sounded like her voice was about to break.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kikyou mocked her as she petted Inuyasha's head like one would do to a treasured animal. "I freed him, of course."

"You put him under his blood beast!" Kagome shouted back at her, losing all pretense of being calm. "_Look _at him! He's not himself anymore!"

"On the contrary, I only unleashed his true nature," Kikyou told her in her monotone voice. "He is hanyou, Kagome, he _is_ a beast—"

"He is _more_ than that, you _know_ he is!" she cut off the undead priestess again with a shout. "Else why would you fall in love with him all those years ago?"

Kikyou was struck silent at her words for a moment before she spoke again, her face even more expressionless than before. "Love is a complicated thing. It is the reason why I am dead; and yet because of that I am allowing him free rein over his powers as he had always wished when he tried to steal the Shikon no Tama from me to give him what he wants the most."

"The reason you are dead was because you couldn't bring yourself to trust him enough! Because of your human versus youkai mentality you allowed Naraku to trick you!"

"…Whatever the reason is he is free now. He is the closest to being a full demon that he could ever be."

"But he has no will of his own, just instinct!" Kagome cut her off, yelling. "In this state he can hurt _anybody_! Even you!"

"Wrong," Kikyou answered her coldly, her eyes turning to ice. "He only obeys what I tell him nothing more, nothing less."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the older woman. "What do you mean?"

Kikyou waved at the glowing beads around Inuyasha's neck, making it catch Kagome's attention. "Have you not noticed his new necklace?"

Kagome fingered the beads around her neck in response as she narrowed her eyes at the other priestess. "This was the reason why you removed the beads from his neck?"

"That and the fact that I have seen through your little plot," Kikyou told her frostily. "Did you really think you were being cunning when you thought to place that spell in the beads and thought I would never notice? Now, in this form and under this spell, he would follow me anywhere. Even to hell."

"So it was true," Kagome croaked. "You broke the talismans and let the Tengu into the village and used Inuyasha to lure the Imagawa to finish off the villagers."

"That place has reminded me of nothing more but my pain," Kikyou answered. "Surely you must be experiencing it as well by now. How they would cling to you and expect you to take care of them… The thankless job of a miko where no one would ever even think of you after all you have done. They would only approach you whenever they need something, nothing more, nothing less. It was time those fools realized the extent of what they have done to me!

"If they weren't so needy I would have had a bit more time to myself. If I had more time to myself then I would have been able to find happiness… If I had been happy then I would have never met Inuyasha; never fallen in love; never betrayed and never have died until at least I could gotten rid of all my regrets! And then I would never have known such pain—"

"How can you say you're sorry you met him?" Kagome asked, hurt for Inuyasha's sake. "You were _everything_ to him!"

Kikyou looked down her nose at her. "Are telling me you are not sorry to have met him despite all the trials you have endured so far?"

The young priestess' eyes never wavered as she gave her answer. "Never."

Silence blanketed the entire group as the two women faced off, one in cold bitterness and the other in blazing passion. All in all they were the opposites of each other; black and white, yin and yang, Earth and Sky. It was bend or break because neither of them would ever give in. The banner of righteousness hung between them.

And then Kagome surprised everyone around her when she broke their staring contest to kneel down on her knees before the undead miko with her neck bowed and her forehead touching the ground. Even Inuyasha, mindless as he was, stopped snarling at her sudden action.

"Please…" Kagome whispered into the ground while Yuuri and the others tried to recover from their shock at her actions. "Please release him… I'm begging you."

"Kagome," Wolfram was starting to get seriously angry and since he was the most demonstrative of the three brothers, he moved to stop her. "What the hell are you doing? Get up!"

Kagome ignored him as though she heard nothing. "All he did was love you… Everything he ever did; completing the Shikon no Tama… battling with his brother… getting stronger… defeating Naraku… All of them were steps he took just to get one step closer to you! Please let him live, he deserves to be happy, Kikyou… Let him live and let him be happy. He's been sad for so long it's only fair, don't you think…? Please…!"

Gwendal almost exploded and he glared at Inuyasha's form. He wanted to cut him into so many little pieces and scatter him across the land. He did not deserve Kagome's love. How could such a being be so foolish? So blind? The Mazoku lord decided that he had never hated anyone as much as he hated Inuyasha at that very moment. Not even when he was doing campaigns in the army during the war with the humans back in Shin Makoku. What was so special about him that would break Kagome so much and make such a strong woman fall down on her knees for his sake and not love her? As though sensing his murderous regard, the hanyou snarled at him with an evil grin on his face. Gwendal resisted the urge to run the bastard through.

Kikyou stared at her with no emotion or compassion in her cold brown eyes. Gwendal thought she looked like a possessed doll the way she was staring at Kagome. It chilled him to note that nothing seemed to move her. "You know what I want, Kagome, I want the rest of my soul back—"

"Like _hell_—"

Kagome held out her arm to stop Yuuri's angry attempt to get near Kikyou and he unhappily obliged her.

Kikyou continued to speak. "If you refuse then I will send Inuyasha to destroy the slayer's village that is currently being revived by the demon slayer and monk and other demons to destroy the village I hailed from. Even you cannot be in two places at once."

Kagome gasped and looked up at her from the ground. "You can't! Sango's just given birth! The village is just being rebuilt—"

"Then meet me at Mount Fuji in three days time. You can let your… consorts watch me take your soul if you wish," Kikyou narrowed her eyes at Yuuri. "I will enjoy hearing you scream."

And as suddenly as she appeared, Kikyou was held by Inuyasha by the waist and together they disappeared into the night when the hanyou jumped off the cliff and fled. Conrad ran towards the cliff to see where they were heading but met only darkness.

"INUYASHA!" she called out as she ran towards the cliff in an attempt to chase them and only Gwendal's quick reflexes saved her from taking a fall as he dropped his sword and wrapped his arms around her middle. "INUYASHA! COME BACK!"

He could feel her trembling when she stopped struggling against him and unconsciously, Gwendal tightened his hold on her, burying his nose slightly in her hair in an attempt to comfort _himself_ from her pain. Because he knew his comfort wouldn't console her at all and it hurt him to see her in this state and it comforted _him_ to be this close to her. It was wrong but he couldn't help himself. Her warmth, even in this state, was like food for his soul.

"We should take her back," said an obviously angry Yuuri after a few minutes as he glared at his twin. "Carry her for me, will you, Gwendal?"

"I can walk." She suddenly said and Gwendal noticed her harsh breathing had calmed down. He didn't want to ever let her go.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, earning a concerned glance from his youngest brother.

"Yes, thank you, Gwendal." She whispered to him and gently patted his bare hand gratefully while letting him know she could stand now.

Reluctantly he let her go, his arms missing her warmth already; his mind trying to keep the soft feel of her in his mind to stop himself from asking for more.

"Kagome," Yuuri called out to her, his voice stern as she walked away from them. "We need to talk—"

"Please, Yuuri," she whispered to him hoarsely in a pained tone that made Gwendal swallow hard. "Not now…"

And then she started walking away again. Yuuri made a move to follow her but Ken held him back and shook his head at him and the Maou finally relented. Gwendal knew what the Great Sage had in mind. They would let her go and let her grieve until she was ready. For now they would let her cry herself to sleep.

He just wished that she had allowed him to hold her a little bit longer…

/*****/

Cecile von Spitzberg looked around the entire closed space she had ordered for Kagome's use in the greenhouse and couldn't believe what she was seeing. The tiny plot of contained soil, no larger than an individual rosebush and set inside a carefully made wooden box was now sporting tiny tufts of what could only be… plant life.

"Amazing…" the blond breathed even as Greta grinned proudly from inside the glass barrier that kept the weather inside under control. "I thought Kagome was crazy when she said she wanted to keep the weather inside this little glass cube the same as the weather back at Zorashiya and to use the Zorashiya soil she had Yozak haul back from their trip there… I mean to even expect anything to grow out of that dead soil…"

"Yup!" Greta jumped up and down in excitement from where she was leaning against the glass case where the box was kept, Kirara clinging steadily on her right shoulder, obviously used to active children. "It won't be long now and they'll be all tall and ready and we can eat what we're growing here!"

"And it hasn't even been a month since they left!" the blond chirped, ruffling Greta's hair fondly.

Cecille leaned down to take a closer look at the plants Kagome had started on the small makeshift plot. When they began discussing the breeding process she used for her flowers she was more than excited that the younger woman was so very interested in them and wondered what kind of flowers she was going to breed. But now that she was taking a closer look at the plants she was surprised that these were no flower buds at all.

"These are… crops… Burbor plants to be exact."

"Burbor plants?" Greta turned to the former ruler in confusion. "So they're not going to be… flowers?"

Cherie thoughtfully placed her thumb and forefinger around her chin thoughtfully and wondered what the young female soukoku was planning to do. And then she smiled. Whatever it was Kagome was planning was sure to be rather interesting. She couldn't wait until the girl came back to Shin Makoku. But she was reminded of the king's outburst and the reason why their departure was hastened and frowned.

What if Yuuri didn't take her back here?

"Lady Cherie?" the sudden melancholy in the little girl's voice suddenly brought the former Maou out of her own sullen mood. "Do you really think Aunt Kagome will come back?"

The blonde Mazoku woman saw the sadness and worry in the Maou's adpted daughter and could only feel sorry for her. Greta's attachment to Kagome was more than skin deep. She truly treated Yuuri and Kagome like family more so than any of her living relatives back at Suberera.

"Don't worry," the former Maou told her with a smile. "I'm sure she'll be able to find her way back to us. After all, this is her home. She'd have to see Shippou and Kirara again, right?"

At that, Greta's face shone like the sun. "Right!"

"Princess, would you like to have lunch here again?" Sangria and Efee asked the little girl as soon as they became visible before the two noble ladies.

Greta nodded. "Yes, please!"

Cherie blinked at this. "You're dining here? Alone?"

The Zorashiyan princess' face then fell as she toed the ground with her shoe. "Shippou's so busy because of his lessons and he doesn't have any time for me anymore so I thought I should just eat here and play with Kirara."

The two tailed cat mewled on the child's shoulder comfortingly.

Cherie grimaced. If he knew her overinflated brother in law well, she would bet he was overworking poor Shippou. She would have to talk Waltorana about giving the child some time off. In the meantime…

"Do you mind if I join you, Greta?" the former Maou smiled brightly down at the little girl.

Greta's face lifted happily at the very idea. "I'd love to, Lady Cherie."

"Ohohohohoho!" the blond laughed before turning to the smiling maids. "Then please set us up for two."

"Right away, my lady." They answered before scurrying off.

As Cherie watched the energetic child bouncing around the greenhouse she mused just how much fun it would be if she got her own grandchildren from her sons. The thought thrilled her immensely. She needed to seriously plan for the love story of the century that her Conrad surely deserved.

/*****/

Please Review


	24. Chapter 24

**AN: **Everyone had a lot of negative reactions to Kikyou and Kagome's behavior; well at least I know I can make an effective villain and an idiot; lol. But seriously, guys it's not like Kagome offered Kikyou anything, she just begged her to free Inuyasha from his blood beast. I mean Inu and Kaggie are friends right? It's not like she's trying to get him back =_=;

Anyway, since I haven't updated in a while I thought I should post this now; it's not very long but I hope you still enjoy it and tell me what you think about it. It doesn't wrap anything up but at least we'll get some things… _figured_ _out_ for some of our toys— errr characters (ehehehe). And please let me remind everyone that this story is **NOT A TRAGEDY**! They WILL have a happy ending!

Also the song **Goodnight** by **Evanescence** was recommended to me by **Bishounen'sFoxyMiko**!

You can listen to it and check out the lyrics here:

**http :/ www. youtube. com/ watch ?v= Wi5ocjQlPW8**

**dreamer01**: AHHHH! A fellow fan! *GLOMP*; did you see the AMV huh? What did you think? What did you think? (^_^)

**Phoenix**: …You are the only one to have figured that out… Maybe you read minds? (sweats in paranoia; looks under the bed to see if Phoenix is there) You're not hiding in my underwear drawer, are you…? lol; virtual chocolate chip cookies to you for that guess! ^_^

I need to throw in a very special THANK YOU! to **maple86** for answering my call for help! You are an _angel_ to me! A gift from _heaven_! I am FOREVER your _slave_! *T-T*

And last but not the least, my condolences to Miko-Of-The-Cherry-Blossoms

I'm praying that your lost loved ones are now happy and away from pain. It's always hard to be the one left behind so hang in there.

So, without further adieu…

Happy Reading! ^_^v

**Chapter 24**

Confident that they were not being followed, Kikyou relaxed in Inuyasha's hold. They were already mountains away from the cliff and it had been several hours since they fled so if there was some sort of pursuit she would have already sensed it. But she felt no one following; not even a shikigami.

As she finally rested, her soul stealers supplying her with fresh souls, the image of Kagome on her knees begging her to release the hanyou drifted into her mind and Kikyou gripped the half demon's shoulder so hard it made him turn his attention to her despite his mindless state. Were he human he would be bleeding by now. She paid him no mind.

How dare she…? How _dare_ she?

What could Kagome possibly know about Inuyasha? She knew _nothing_ of him, _nothing at all_! No one would be able to love him the way she did despite all the hatred and the anger and the tragedy… How could that woman say she should free him from his binds when she herself was not even whole?

But then again… neither was she, right?

The undead priestess' face scrunched up in anger.

Again, with just a few words and a gesture Kagome made her second guess herself. Again the living miko's unbelievably pure soul made her want to fall into her bidding. It was as though fate hated and loved her all at the same time. When will she be able to understand that she didn't belong here? Why won't she stay away?

No matter, Kikyou thought to herself grimly. In three days time this will be over. Everything was going according to her plans. It was time they both ended this.

"Hey, Mutt-face!"

Kikyou heard Inuyasha snarl when the familiar call reached them before landing on a grassy plain, setting her down gently even as he faced his foe. She looked up to see the Wolf Prince Kouga with his usual escorts before them. At the sight of his bloodshot eyes, the Wolf Prince suddenly stiffened and tensed, stopping his planned greeting.

"The hell…?" blue eyes the color of flame looked up and glared at her from across the clearing. "What did you do to the dog, woman?"

Kikyou merely narrowed her eyes at him. "That is none of your concern."

Kouga scowled. "You just came from the direction of my woman's village; what did you do to her?"

The undead priestess stood up straighter. "Nothing that she does not deserve."

The prince sniffed and then snarled, baring his fangs. "You smell of her tears! How _dare_ you make her cry?"

"Her tears are as nothing compared to my sorrow." She replied coldly.

"Bitch! I'LL KILL YOU!" Kouga growled before bursting forward, his claws extended and dangerous.

Inuyasha got in front of his mistress, smirked at Kouga… and met him halfway through. The sounds of the battle echoed all throughout the night.

/*****/

"…So, Grandma Kaede, I'll be going to visit Sango and Miroku tomorrow. Do you think you and the elder can handle the repairs to the village by yourselves?"

Conrad leaned against the tree nearest the pair of miko as he overheard Kagome explaining what happened to Kaede during their little trip to the cliffs earlier. He was hidden by the tree's wide trunk and they have yet to notice him but he opted to remain invisible. He watched from his spot as Wolfram bickered with Yuuri in the midst of the villagers around a late campfire as quietly as they could in respect to the sleeping children much to the villagers' amusement; Gwendal wasn't back from the village itself yet claiming he should find a way to improve the village's defenses as though it were some castle. He would have stayed there himself to help as well if it hadn't been for Yuuri's decision to go back to the caves to check on Kagome. Conrad knew just what exactly Yuuri wanted to do; the Maou wanted to talk with his twin sister; and to be honest, Conrad suspected they all wanted a piece of her tonight for her little stunt up the cliff earlier when she spoke to Kikyou.

"I see," he heard the old woman say, her hands behind her back and her stopped stance seemingly a bit more weary. He was looking up at Kagome's desolate face searchingly before she spoke again. "Did you promise her… anything?"

Kagome's smile was sad; a small twitch of her lip that lasted for only a fraction of a moment before she answered. "Even if I wanted to do that I'm afraid my soul isn't mine to sell any longer."

Kaede's eye widened and she suddenly reached out and took a tight hold of Kagome's elbow. "Kagome, you didn't…?"

"I'm sorry," the younger priestess sighed. "It was the only way. The last time I was here I thought I would finally be able to fulfill my promise to Midoriko—"

"_Kagome_," Kaede's voice held a concerned chill to it that made Conrad stiffen his spine. "What did you _do_…?"

It took a while before the younger woman answered but her tone was tired; as though she had had enough already. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"If this is because of Inuyasha—"

"It's not just about him anymore, Grandma Kaede," Kagome stepped back and looked away. "It's not just about Kikyou either. It stopped being just about the three of us the moment I decided to free Midoriko."

"But this is a huge gamble, my child!" Kaede insisted and… did she sound frightened just now? "What if you fail?"

"I've consulted with Midoriko already," Kagome replied with a calm that raised red flags in Conrad's mind. "She approves of my choice."

"Midoriko did…?" Kaede breathed in disbelief as she stared incredulously at Kagome before backing away herself. "Your brother… that Demon King… He will not be happy with your choice."

"This is not his choice to make anymore," steel coated Kagome's words. "I need to break the cycle, Grandma Kaede, we've talked about this already."

The old woman's chin quivered for a moment before she spoke again. "So does this mean… you are saying goodbye?"

At that, Conrad's interest perked up; what could she possibly mean by that?

"I guess so…" Kagome breathed deeply and exhaled before a warm smile blossomed on her face. "But I have no regrets. Thank you, Grandma Kaede; I've always wanted to tell you that. You were the foundation that kept me up and surviving out here for so long; without you and your guidance… I might not have been able to even find the strength to face everything that's happened to me here."

"…Child, I had nothing to do with it," the older woman said after a while. "To tell you the truth it was _I_ that found strength in _you_. I believe that all of us did; Miroku-sama, Sango-san, the villagers… perhaps even Lord Sesshoumaru. You were the light that kept us hoping for a beautiful ending for our own tragic fairy tales. You gave us the power to _believe_. My only wish is that we could have lived that beautiful ending with _you_."

Kagome closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath before calmly releasing it with a smile. "Me too, Grandma Kaede… Me too…"

Conrad's eyes sharpened as he watched the old woman wearily walk away and left a brooding Kagome behind. He was about to reveal himself to confront her when he was beaten by the appearance of His Highness, the Great Sage.

"Kagome." The bespectacled soukoku ruler called out to her before walking into the clearing.

She sighed and looked back at the young man from over her shoulder. "What is it, Ken-chan? Is there something you needed?"

Ken was silent for a moment and if he was taken aback by her wary greeting, he didn't show it. "I just wanted to talk."

"If it's about what happened earlier, I am not in the mood—"

"Then when _will_ you be in the mood for it?" the bespectacled soukoku took a step towards her. "A few hours from now? Tomorrow? The day after that? Next week?"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Are you being evasive?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Is there a reason why you don't want to talk about it?" Conrad blinked as he saw their Great Sage scowl for the first time he'd known him. "Are you really going to give Kikyou your soul?"

"I never said I would—"

"But you never said you _wouldn't_."

"Ken-chan—"

"_Tell me_!" he finally snapped, garnering surprised looks from both Kagome and Conrad.

Ken never— _never_ raised his voice at _anybody_.

"I'm sick and tired of you keeping all these secrets! I am not letting you give your soul away to that _woman_," he spat out the last word like it was dirt in his mouth. It was obvious that he knew he was shouting and he would not apologize for it. "I am _not_ letting you throw your life away and see you begging for something that has clearly abandoned y—"

He was suddenly cut off when Kagome threw herself at him and hugged the bespectacled young man tightly. Conrad watched as they stayed in that position for a few moments in complete silence, the only other movement being Ken's arms coming up to return her hug tightly. The half Mazoku knight saw the exact moment her guard crumbled like dust in the wind around them both when she scrunched her eyes closed.

"Just so you know, I promised myself that I'm not going to run away anymore the moment I made this decision," she finally whispered to Murata quietly after a few moments. "I'm tired of running. I'm tired of hurting and I want it to stop. I want _everything_ to stop."

"Then let's just go back—"

"I can't."

"_Why_?"

"…I already told you about the wish, didn't I?"

Conrad blinked at that. _Now this was new_…

Ken blinked, taken aback; dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. "Yes you did. What about it?"

"If I tell you… will you promise not to tell Yuu-chan?"

Ken met this with a long silence before speaking again. "Alright. I swear."

"No loopholes."

"…No loopholes." He repeated reluctantly, binding him completely to the promise.

Conrad watched the soft smile on Kagome's face spread from his spot as she rested her cheek much more comfortably against the bespectacled young man's shoulder. "You once told me there _are_ no pure wishes."

Ken hesitantly nodded but stayed quiet as though he thought she would stop if he made any sort of noise or sudden movements.

"But you're wrong," Kagome smiled sadly. "It's just that they come with some… very heavy conditions."

"…Conditions?"

She nodded against his shoulder again. "A pure wish is anything and everything you want. Good or evil, right or wrong, physical or spiritual, shallow or deep, a wish is a pure wish as long as it makes you suffer and makes everyone else happy."

It sounded as though she was reading the words from memory; as though she had read it before.

Conrad frowned but luckily, Ken interpreted his confusion for him in words. "I don't understand."

"It means," she sighed. "I can make any wish I want and let it be considered pure… as long as I don't get to enjoy it."

Ken stiffened against her. "Kagome… what did you wish for…?"

"I wished…" and here the tears that she had been holding back ever since she saw Inuyasha again earlier starting pouring down to wet Ken's shirt. "I wished that I could see the man I love finally find his ultimate happiness before I…"

Ken frowned. "Before… what?" when she sniffled and failed to answer him, Ken grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away at arms length to look into her eyes as he tried to contain his mounting horror. "Kagome, look at me; before _what_?"

Kagome's lower lip trembled and her tears shone like diamonds in the darkness of the clearing as they fell from her eyes. When she finally answered, her voice was merely a croak, wrapped as it is in her hoarse whisper. "…before I die…"

Ken's eyes widened in horror.

"NO!" Ken whispered fiercely, his knuckles white from holding onto her shoulders fiercely. "I won't _let you_!"

"I have to free Midoriko; if I don't she'll never rest in peace and the Shikon will remain a threat to this world," she told him with a soft smile. "The fact that the Shikon no Tama appeared in the future and allowed me to come back to the past must mean that the cycle for the jewel must _end_ in the past. I _have_ to close that cycle."

"_No_!" Ken pulled her close to him and hugged her fiercely again; coming as close to sobbing as he could in the whole time he had known the young sage astonishing Conrad altogether. "I won't let it! You're not supposed to be the one to pay the price! I won't let it! _I won't let you_!"

His unspoken words echoed in the night of the silent clearing, crying out to be redeemed from all its sins.

_It's all my fault!_

"It's too late, I already made the wish before Yuuri dragged me to Shin Makoku," she smiled through her tears, relishing in the comforting arms of her best friend. "This is my duty."

Ken's eyes widened and he pulled away from her again to look her in the eye in shocked horror. "Wait a minute… Then that day when Kikyou attacked you and Yuuri and I came—"

"Yeah," she tried to smile at him sheepishly but failed. "I was looking for Inuyasha then so I could complete the conditions for the wish and to say goodbye to my friends. After seeing him happy, I was expecting for everything to be over. Kikyou took me by surprise and then… Well, you know the rest."

"So it's never about Inuyasha at all?" he whispered to her in disbelief and agony. "This is all about the Shikon no Tama?"

"Yeah; it just happened that Inuyasha was the person I wanted to see happy the most," Kagome half shrugged. "I knew he'd never love me back but of all my friends his situation is the most hopeless. He is hanyou and in this era, there is no place in between for him. Although a lot of people would tolerate him, alone in life without anyone loving him… he would live a long life of loneliness. Since it's Kikyou that he wants then I thought I should see him with her happy and that's it. Not that I don't love him; I think I'd love him until the end of time, that's why I want to use this opportunity kill two birds with one stone."

The Great Sage frowned. "But if that's the case then the Shikon would be useless. Why wish for something that's already there?"

"Did you notice how different my wish is from ordinary wishes?"

Ken stopped and stared at her. It was true. Most wishes would require the direct intervention of the jewel but with Kagome's wish... it basically needed none of the jewel's immense power at all. The wish was totally hallow.

"It's part of the condition," Kagome continued, pushing away from him and bravely smiled. "Basically the Shikon merely judges the truth of that happiness and takes the wisher's life in exchange. Instead of the Shikon using it's power to make the wish come true it uses the wisher's instead and then since the Shikon has no fall back because it'll be completely purified it won't be able to appear again."

Ken slowly shook his head at the mere simplicity of it. "No, it's still not worth it if it means you're going to die; you are stopping here right now and—"

"It's no use, the Shikon no Tama needs to go, Ken-chan, and I've already made my wish," she cut him off softly. "Even if I don't do this I'll still end up dead."

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The jewel's cursed," she said sadly. "Everyone who's ever held it has died a miserable death, even the appointed guardians. You know why that is?"

Ken shook his head no.

"Because demon or human, as long as the being holding the Shikon no Tama feels the urge to _desire_, the jewel would be in danger of being corrupted," she answered him with a straight face. "I'm only human, Ken-chan… One day soon I'll want something so bad I would probably hurt someone for it."

"You've desired before but the jewel was never tainted in your possession," he protested. "I saw it with my own eyes when the dagger tried to pull it out of your soul!"

"I did desire Inuyasha's love…" she nodded to him. "But I _never_ pursued it after he decided he wanted Kikyou. I set aside my desire to keep Inuyasha and Kikyou happy and no matter how many times I felt the urge to fight for him I swallowed my pain and moved on like nothing happened. Self sacrifice gives the jewel the energy to stay pure and—"

"And you're not sure if you could keep it up forever…" Ken muttered in sick realization.

She nodded with a sad half smile. "Exactly."

"…Where did you get all this information?"

"When Sesshoumaru-sama found out I was looking for a way to get rid of the Shikon no Tama, he immediately offered me his assistance. Apparently, in his family archives, he found a scroll with long lost information about the Shikon's creation in it. It seems a long lost ancestor of his had a close relationship to the jewel."

"I… see," he frowned thoughtfully. "Is there a chance that we'd be able to meet this Sesshoumaru guy?"

"I'm not sure," Kagome blinked, wondering why he's ask. "He usually just pops around whenever something happens. Kaede said he wanted to talk to me about some scroll he found so chances are he'd probably find me anyway."

"Good," Ken said grimly, his glasses glazing over with determination. "I have a lot of questions for him."

Her only response to that was a small grin. "Alright; you better get some sleep and tell Yuuri and the others about my plans for tomorrow. I'm pretty sure he won't like it if I left him behind. I need to see to the children."

"Alright," Ken nodded and then watched her walk away. When the Great Sage was fully alone once more in the clearing, the soukoku surprised Conrad by calling out. "Sir Weller… how much do you know?"

Conrad blinked for a moment, trying to find his composure before he stepped out from behind the tree and presented himself to the younger Mazoku. "Enough."

"Up to what extent?" Ken quietly demanded.

"…Up to the part where she knows she is going to die."

"…Since when?"

Conrad hesitated a bit before answering. "Since the first time she woke up after the incident with the dagger; she secretly spoke with Koritsu before anyone knew she was awake. She was looking for information as to whose power was used to hide the dagger within the sword—"

"Why have you never told anyone about this?" Ken turned to the Maou's knight, angrily.

Conrad remained calm. "It was not my secret to tell."

"Do you think Yuuri would appreciate it if you kept such secrets about his sister?" he snapped, knowing it was a low blow but not being able to help himself at this point.

"Do you think Yuuri would be able to do anything about this at all, Your Highness? Kagome kept this a secret for a good reason. She knew distracting Yuuri now would mean the fate of the kingdom given its situation right now," The knight never faltered. "Besides, I don't think I'm the only one keeping secrets from him; especially about the part regarding the wish."

Ken looked away, his face crumpling. He tried to talk again several times but he failed. It was as though he was having difficulty breathing. His lower lip quivered after he stopped trying to open his mouth to talk before he bent over and fell down on his knees to the ground in agony.

Conrad stepped forward in concern. "Your Highness—"

"It's all my fault…" Ken began to sob, his hands fisting the ground taking the dirt in his hands, chest heaving heavily and pained like a fist was squeezing his heart. "It's _all my fault_!"

"Your Highness—"

"The Shikon should have been _destroyed_!" Ken punched the ground in frustration as he cried. "It was unnatural and a failure and it should have just disappeared! And now she has to clean up my messes! And the worst part is that she doesn't even know it's my fault! _And I'm too much of a coward to tell her_!

"I'm disgusting and I'm weak!" the bespectacled young man continued to pound his fist into the ground as he cried out. "If only I believed in Shinou's plan this never would have happened! If only I was as confident as he was would never have made this mistake and now Kagome's going to… She's…"

Conrad, not knowing what to say, merely stood and watched, his own heart aching at the ramifications of what could possibly happen. He had grown enormously fond of the young priestess over the time he had spent with her. She had gathered more than just superficial admiration from him; she had managed to gain his respect and although he was taught to respect women he could count in one hand the number of females he would trust his life with.

Those women would be his mother, Julia… and Kagome.

Discovering the details of her words back then in that cold dank dungeon chilled the very marrows of his bones and he could find no words to describe how numb he felt. It was just impossible for him.

"If something happens to her…" Ken swallowed as he looked up at Conrad; tears staining his cheeks. "I will _never_ forgive myself!"

Conrad stayed silent for a moment more before speaking softer than his earlier tone. "Is… is there anything we can do?"

Ken inhaled a shaky breath and held it in for a long time before releasing it, calming himself down after a moment. The moment he opened his eyes again, Conrad could see the determination shining through the Great Sage's glasses. "I'm going to find a way to free her."

The Maou's knight frowned as he thought about this. "We don't have much time. Kikyou only gave her three days."

Ken took another deep breath and held it in longer this time before exhaling and standing up. Conrad almost took another step back at the cold look on the soukoku no daikenja's face. It was a face that could do anything. _Be_ anything. A face that should only belong on a battlefield.

"Sir Weller," even his voice chilled the knight but he remained where he was, ready to fulfill his duty as the Maou's knight. "This is a Royal Decree given under the best interests of the27th Maou of Shin Makoku himself. Will you receive it?"

At that, Conrad's face blinked in surprise before he knelt on one knee before the Great Sage, his left hand leaning on his sheathed sword thrust tip down to the ground and his right hand on his chest.

A Royal Decree was never given lightly but when it was used then defying it would mark one as a traitor. Yuuri knew about it but would never use it as kind as he was. However since the Great Sage has power equal to the Maou…

"Yes, Your Highness."

Murata pushed his glasses up his nose and slid his other hand in his pocket as he spoke in a calm voice belying the storm he kept inside him. "If Kagome hesitates to do it when she is threatened… then I want you to end Inuyasha's life."

Conrad stared at the ground, stunned. It was not something he was expecting to come from the bespectacled soukoku's mouth in a million years. It was also an order he had not expected to enact again; to stain his sword once more with the blood of another.

But since this was a Royal decree, he had no right to refuse. All he could do… was obey.

"Yes, Your Highness…"

/*****/

Gwendal was a little bit tired; it has been quite a while since he's done any manual labor outside sword training and it wasn't much but he found himself feeling a little bit weary nonetheless. It was a good weariness though; the manual labor had managed to burn away most of his frustrations.

"Everything alright, Gwendal?"

Gwendal glanced at his Maou briefly even as he trudged into the clearing that led to the caves that have been assigned as the villagers' temporary sanctuary.

"We've put the frameworks up," the Mazoku lord answered in his usual tone. "All they need to do now is to put up the roofs and walls."

"That's great," Yuuri exclaimed happily. "We'll be finished with the repairs in no time! Good job, Gwendal!"

"That's my brother for you," Wolfram nodded proudly. "He can do _anything_!"

Gwendal ignored them and looked around for the source of his distraction. "Where is she?"

In an instant, the smiles on Yuuri and Wolfram's faces fell off.

"She's in the caves with the children, trying to get them to sleep." Yuuri explained.

"She's been avoiding us," Yuuri scowled. "Damn it, why does she have to be so stubborn?"

"_You_ don't get to say things like that." Wolfram shot right back at him.

"Hey I am not _that_ stubborn!"

"Right."

Ignoring them, Gwendal left his Maou and his brother who were now busy bickering again and started towards the caves. In his mind they had already given her more than enough time to think. As he toiled beneath the torches and bonfires the villagers have set up to continue the rest of the work they had to leave behind in order to aid Kagome in her plans earlier the more he became angry at her actions. It was true that she didn't promise Kikyou anything but… who knew what went through that woman's head anymore?

He was approaching the tree line that hid the mouth of the hidden caves when he heard her voice… talking to some children. Curious he came closer quietly and hid in the shadows of the night. There he found _her_… tucking a bunch of children in what seemed to be her very own bedroll.

The Mazoku lord frowned. It was already late, shouldn't she be asleep as well?

"Is there anything I can help you with, Lord Gwendal?"

Gwendal almost jumped in surprise then mentally began kicking himself angrily. How did he not notice an old woman coming at him from behind?

He bowed his head to her slightly in polite greeting before his eyes were magnetized back to where Kagome was, laughing with the children.

"Those young ones are orphans," he heard Kaede say as she stood beside him. "When she acquired miko status in the village, she decreed that the orphans left behind no matter what the circumstance should be under the care of the village miko and the whole village. Because of her those children are neither starved nor mistreated. They owe her so very much."

Gwendal made no move to indicate that he had heard her but in his mind he marveled at Kagome's generous nature and her will that made an entire community obey her. He wondered if such a trait truly ran in the Shibuya family so naturally that even she practiced it even without being raised in the Shibuya household.

"She has tended to the wounded and has replaced the damaged talismans around the village and the forest," the old woman kept speaking. "She is truly a marvel. Just like my sister Kikyou when she was still alive—"

"Do not speak that name in my presence." He suddenly cut her off, his eyes turning gunmetal blue under the darkness around them.

Kaede offered no apologies and instead looked him in the eye. "She told me about what happened after she managed to mislead the Imagawa clan."

"Oh?" Gwendal scowled at the stooped woman from above his aquiline nose, his eyes shimmering with his anger at the very memory. "And did she tell you how she bowed her head to the ground and begged that woman to release that Halfling from her curse? Did she tell you how she nearly ran over a cliff trying to chase them down?"

Kaede had the audacity to _smirk_ at him. "You seem quite affected by her actions, my lord."

Gwendal scowled, not liking that he had lost his composure but he refused to apologize. Not after what he had seen.

"I cannot blame you," the old woman said in a softer voice. "It has been… difficult for us to watch her try to make things work after Inuyasha chose Kikyou and lived here in the village. That child has the kindest heart than anyone I have ever known."

"And yet it is the reason why they take advantage of her; even this _village_ takes all of her strength," Gwendal seethed. "They suck at her goodwill like leeches and then when she is empty they would leave her with _nothing_! No even a place to lay her head!"

Gwendal had noted the million and one things she had to do before they were able to leave earlier. Things like tending to the wounded or arranging for the villagers' food were only some of the many duties she was being burdened with. And Gwendal noted that, although the old woman Kaede tried, the one shouldering this entire burden was Kagome alone. And he had yet to hear her complain about it. He wondered how she was able to bear the burden of these people's crosses all by herself. Did that Inuyasha brat ever try to shoulder some of those responsibilities? Did anyone even care?

Had anyone ever noticed how weary she would look sometimes…?

He felt humbled by Kagome's dedication and a searing pain at her suffering. He had to fight the overwhelming desire to take her away from here and have her pampered for the rest of her life like a noble lady should. Like a lady of Kagome's _caliber_ should. If only he had the right… If only he had the power to make her turn her back at all of this.

"Priestesses are servants of Kami," Kaede spoke as though reading his mind. "We are dedicated to loving _only_ the kami. And since it is the Kami's will that we serve the people then that is what we do.

"They take and take from us because our energy came from the kami, we are merely vessels meant for the people to use and in turn we gain respect and reverence; power to us has a heavy burden that we must carry despite how hard it is," the old woman's face then fell and her eye glazed over as though she were remembering something in the past. "And because of that it becomes a very lonely life… One so lonely that we would tend to grasp whatever little form of happiness we are offered. That is what happened to my sister Kikyou."

Gwendal shot her a look but said nothing. He had almost forgotten that this old woman was priestess as well who knew what it felt like to be in Kagome's shoes.

"If I had managed to notice that my sister was merely human living among humans and choking in the folds of this society she might not have had to fall in love with Inuyasha; if the villagers stopped seeing her as an untouchable being and treated her like an ordinary female sometimes instead she might have had the strength to fall in love with a common man and lived a happy life altogether. If, if, if, if, if, if, _if_," the old woman pursed her lips and her gaze went to a smiling Kagome still chatting with the children and was now telling them a story about some foolish girl with a red hood and a wolf. "My sister's body was borne from the dead and made purely out of regrets. Regrets tend to drown us, Lord Gwendal, especially the dead and for a while, I thought there would be no more hope but… Kagome appeared and taught us to move forward.

"Instead of regretting she accepted; instead of seeking to burn bridges she sought to repair them; and that is what makes her so much more powerful than my sister Kikyou. However I, as old as I am have realized being powerful does not mean you are invincible. And as painful as it is to admit, there is nothing I can do to save her," she looked up at him, that one eye making Gwendal feel as though she was looking straight into his soul. "Tell me, Lord Gwendal… Can _you_ save her?"

He blinked, not quite understanding what she was trying to say.

Her smirk widened almost as though she were mocking him before clarifying. "From that loneliness, my lord. Can you save her from loneliness; that vile enemy of every human that leads them into the arms of sin and treachery just for a taste of what it means to be loved."

The words felt like a slap in the face and Gwendal found himself too stunned to move.

"I'll leave you to contemplate on it then, my lord…" the old woman said before trudging away.

As he watched the old woman walk away, the Mazoku general truly couldn't help but contemplate on the matter. Loneliness was an emotion he rarely ever allowed himself to feel. Loneliness made people want and seek and desire things one of his station had no business desiring. He was a lord with duties to an entire nation. If he allowed himself to covet something that took him away from his duties then he would be letting his loved ones down.

But then again… what he felt for Kagome… wasn't it want…?

"Kagome-sama… are the samurai really gone?"

Gwendal blinked, the voice of one of the children Kagome was entertaining— a girl— immediately taking his attention back to his endless source of confusion and emotion these days. The one human puzzle that he wanted to solve and understand despite what he told himself.

"Of course; they shouldn't be coming back here anytime soon again." He heard her tell them softly with a smile.

"See? I told you Kagome-sama would make them go away!" another one— a boy this time— said haughtily.

He reminded Gwendal so much of Wolfram, his mouth involuntarily twitched into a smile at the thought.

"Kagome-sama, where are Inuyasha and Shippou-chan?" one of the children suddenly asked, a younger boy probably no more than five. "They haven't been around to play in a while."

Gwendal saw Kagome's smile falter for a bit before she soothed the boy's brow tenderly. "They're probably playing elsewhere."

"Mou, that's mean," said the girl, pouting. "Why didn't they take us with them?"

"Don't worry," Kagome told them. "I'll make them apologize as soon as I see them."

"When will they come back, Kagome-sama?" the earlier boy asked.

Again her smile faltered. "I'm not sure. I guess it depends on whether they want to come back."

The girl sniffled. "Why? Don't they love us anymore?"

Kagome shook her head at her. "Do you think that?"

"…No."

"Then that's what you should keep thinking," she told the girl encouragingly. "Now settle down and go to sleep, alright? We all have a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, Kagome-sama."

The children then settled down to sleep, getting themselves warm and comfortable; and then she started to sing them a quiet lullaby…

(**Insert Goodnight by Evanescence**)

Gwendal had to admit, Kagome's voice wasn't as astounding or hair-raising as other singers that he had heard in his lifetime… but it had her emotions in it. Her soft alto carried her raw feelings and a faint impression of… farewell that Gwendal almost felt frightened of it because it made him feel like she was saying goodbye to him. The feelihng held him at bay until all the children fell asleep for the night.

Snippets of their conversation while they rode the Ferris wheel the night before whispered in his mind with painful alacrity and he had to close his eyes as the truth struck him like a dagger to the heart and realized he couldn't deny it anymore, it was useless.

And then Hube's words, seemingly a whole lifetime ago, floated in his mind as well.

'_Do you… have feelings for the Lady Kagome…?'_

Why didn't he understand this sooner? Gwendal thought to himself bitterly.

'_I don't see anything wrong about loving her…'_

Gwendal clenched his fists against his thighs, feeling as though someone had just flayed him alive. Kaede's words, the knowledge of how beautiful Kagome was and the fact that it was already too late for him the moment he touched her made him want to laugh at himself in self deprecation.

Because it was at that moment in time… underneath a waning crescent moon with her face illuminated by the campfire and her eyes glowing like ebony embers that he finally had to admit what he had been denying so violently since the day he met her for fear of losing control of himself.

'_Gwendal… have you ever been in love…?'_

"Yes, I have…" the Mazoku lord whispered into the night without opening his eyes as he remembered her face that night.

'_I meant a person, someone special…'_

He opened his eyes and stared at Kagome's sorrowful features looking down on the children's' innocent faces, looking for comfort she knew she would never find and he felt as though his heart would burst with his discovery. It was as though he was going to die at the weight of the epiphany fate had decided to toss in his lap just to torture him.

"You…" he finally sighed, watching Kagome finally settle beside the children and try to sleep; her body weary from all the events that had greeted them on their first day mentally and emotionally and he had to resist the almost violent urge to settle down next to her and offer her his strength. To _be_ the wall that would support her and never let her fall. "I love… _you_…"

/*****/


	25. Chapter 25

**A.N.: **Again I am sorry for this long wait; if you look into my profile a notice has been posted there about the reason why I was unable to write for such a long time; despite the traumatizing even that has happened I have struggled through this chapter and I can only hope that my harrowing experience did not affect my writing too badly. Please stay tuned for the chapter next to this which shall not be long in posting; I only thought this chapter was long enough so I posted it here but this arc is still not finished; have no fear I am still loyal to this fic and to all of the people reading this.

My sincerest apologies and heartfelt thanks to you all; you can have no idea how much I missed you guys...- Kotei-Heika.

Please enjoy ^_^v

**Chapter 25**

Yuuri couldn't sleep.

He could hear Wolfram snoring away beside him in his sleeping bag despite his earlier complaints and the steady murmuring of the forest creatures as they all lay asleep but even as he stared at the clear night sky filled with countless stars he just couldn't close his eyes and dream away.

His mind was filled with images of Kagome kneeling down in front of Inuyasha and Kikyou and how she reacted when they ran away. His brain overflowed with Kikyou's condition and the poison in every word that came out of her mouth. He was angry that Kagome was so obsessed with Inuyasha that she was willing to meet with Kikyou to sell her soul! Did he not matter to her at all? Didn't Mom, Dad, Shouri, Souta, Aunt Aki and Grandpa matter to her? What was so great about that stupid dog? His fists were clenching at the very thought.

"Can't sleep?"

Yuuri turned and saw Conrad sitting casually against a tree near his head, his sword across his lap. His eyes were closed but when he felt Yuuri's eyes on him, he opened them and smiled gently at his Maou.

"Oh, sorry, Conrad, did I wake you up?" Yuuri asked, feeling guilty. Lord knew Conrad needed all the rest he could get what with constantly guarding him and all.

"I was already up," the knight shook his head at him. "I was just resting my eyes."

"Do you even sleep?" Yuuri sweat dropped; he will never get used to Conrad's habits.

"Sometimes," his guardian chuckled. As always Yuuri never failed to amuse him. When he stopped laughing, he turned his smile at the younger half Mazoku. "Are you still thinking about 'that'?"

Neither of them had to ask what 'that' meant. Both of their minds were still fresh from the memories of all the revelations and events of the day. Both of them struggled with their own frustrations.

"I can't help it," Yuuri sighed, turning his eyes back to the stars. "Why is she being so… so _ridiculous_? Why is she willing to die for that idiot? Don't I matter to her? I can't understand what she's _thinking_!"

Conrad's smile turned sympathetic, hearing the jealousy in the Maou's voice. "Perhaps it would be better if you thought of yourself in this Inuyasha person's position."

"Wait a minute are you actually on _his_ side?" Yuuri sat up staring at his most trusted retainer with disbelieving eyes.

Conrad didn't backpedal as most people would have probably done. Instead, he looked Yuuri straight in the eye. "As far as I can see, this place is not very charitable; any form of civilization and order here comes from Kagome and her leadership. She might not notice it but the people here treat her as a leader more than the elders. They emulate what she says and do and still they are buried in a lot of danger. If what everyone here says it true and this poor little village is actually thriving more than the other villages around can you imagine what kind of world this is? It makes Suberera look like Shin Makoku."

Yuuri was silenced. He knew exactly what the older half Mazoku meant by this since he had had an opportunity to study the era. He knew how a sickness as slight as influenza could kill an entire village without mercy and how desperate these times were. Kagome's village must look like some sort of paradise.

Conrad nodded in approval at the recognition on his face. "Imagine if it were us instead of Inuyasha living here. With this kind of environment I doubt a lot of people would tolerate half demons like that. We might even end up like Inuyasha; suffering and cold and hated by both sides of the races.

"Also, from what I have observed of Kagome she does not seem to love him out of pity; she truly, earnestly loves him," a wistful twist of the mouth accompanied these words and Yuuri blinked at that. It almost sounded as though Conrad… _liked_ his sister. Interesting. "But I also see her as too self sacrificing; above all she views Inuyasha as a special friend. I think she is doing all this to… protect his happiness."

"By sacrificing _herself_?" Yuuri shook off the dawning realization forming in his head as his own compassionate nature dug its claws into his conscience. "That isn't right! What about us? Her family? We need her just as much as Inuyasha needs her!"

"But Kagome knows your family have each other," Conrad kept on meeting the king's eyes earnestly. "She knows Inuyasha only has her."

Yuuri sat back, numb as he absorbed the entirety of his twin's compassionate nature into his being and realized he would do the very same thing had they exchanged places. He never gave up on the people he loved; the reason why he became king was so he could protect them. It was the reason he agreed to become Maou; the reason why he never gave up on Conrad who everyone had thought had betrayed him once.

Because he wanted to protect everyone's happiness.

"Aw, crud…" the Maou finally gave up.

Reluctant as he might be he can now understood even if it was just a bit. He was disappointed in himself. He who claimed to know Kagome better than anyone in the world had failed her. He had failed to open her heart which was the other half of hers and listen to the voice of her reasoning. They were truly alike in so many ways it scared him sometimes…

Yuuri lay back down on his sleeping bag, listening to Wolfram snort as he threw a leg over the Maou's stomach before going back to snoring. He sighed at the stars that now seemed to be laughing at his foolishness. He scowled right back at them.

"Fine, I get it now, I think," he started to say to the knight who had returned to resting his eyes against the tree. "So help me save her, Conrad. Help me protect her from herself."

A bitter smile twisted at the corner of the knight's mouth as he thought of the Royal decree he has now committed himself to. He wondered where the Great Sage was at that moment; the moment he left the clearing he had not been able to find him again. If it were him he would find a place of solitude and weep.

"As you wish," he muttered softly. "…Your Majesty…"

Conrad was acting strange, Yuuri thought silently. He should ask him what was wrong. No matter. He'll see him in the morning…

/*****/

"Oh! Kagome-sama!"

"Good morning, Kagome-sama!"

"Have you slept well, Kagome-sama?"

"Good morning, everyone; yes, I slept fine, thanks," she returned their greetings with a cheerful smile and a wave. Not one of the people greeting her even suspected the churning emotions hidden beneath her smile. "Can you tell me where Grandma Kaede is?"

"Kaede-sama is tending to the fire overseeing the cooking." one of the women eagerly supplied her with the answer.

"Oh, okay, thanks." Kagome politely bowed and then walked away.

She had woken up alone that morning wondering where the children all were. Usually, she woke before any of them as per her habit but she guessed she must have been a lot more tired than she had anticipated.

Making her way towards the camp fire and returning reverent greetings from the other villagers she was passing, she was about to pass through one of the clearings where the villagers would usually gather firewood when she heard familiar childish laughter. Blinking, she came closer and took a peak. What she saw made her smile.

All the children under her care along with their playmates were there crowding around a surprisingly calm and stoically delighted Gwendal who was carefully carving out little animals from pieces of wood the children must have been about to take to the camp fire for fuel. His carvings ranged from little wide eyed kittens to waddling ducklings. The children were ecstatic.

"Gwendal-sama! Gwendal-sama!" Little 5 year old Chihiro cuddled in the large Mazoku lord's lap holding up another piece of wood. "Will you make me a doggie next?"

"No fair," seven year old Tomasu pouted at Gwendal's right. "I said I wanted a fox first!"

"Yes, yes, I'll make them all so don't fight." Gwendal calmed them down effortlessly.

The children cheered. A faint smile appeared on his face, softening it into something younger… something a lot less tired…

The sight made her heart stumble and her dark eyes widened before she forced herself to shake off the thoughts in her head. He was just a friend. It was just that he looked so kind and loving… It amazed Kagome how he could handle so many children all at the same time and still keep such a regal composure. Usually men like his type would flail in the presence of such small children but Gwendal was fearless. And the children obviously adored him. He would make a great father.

If he's around then she knew she could be assured Shippou will grow up into something great.

Deciding to leave them alone, Kagome went on to find Kaede. She found her old mentor exactly where they told her she would be. At the camp fire she saw the old woman already holding court in front of a cook fire with her biggest cauldron over the heated stones. The women were dropping sliced vegetables and meat at her feet while others dropped off various herbs off to the side. Seeing her, some of the villagers greeted her respectfully and cheerfully, even reverently and again the young miko was reminded of the reason why she treasured these people so much despite their ignorance and earlier prejudices.

"Good morning, Kagome," Kaeded greeted her as she came close and sat beside her in front of the large cook pot that morning. "I trust you slept well?"

"Good morning, Grandma Kaede, and yes I did, thanks."

"You were using quite a bit of power yesterday; usually you would have collapsed immediately after the attack with the Tengu." The old woman commented, never looking up.

Kagome's eyes widened at that as she looked back at the unassuming old woman. "Really? I hadn't even realized!"

Kaede merely nodded as though this was to be expected. "Your powers have grown again."

Kagome frowned thoughtfully and lifted her hands in front of her face, examining her palms. "Well I _have_ been feeling differently ever since I got stabbed by a dark miko's ceremonial dagger back in Shin Makoku where Yuuri is ruling."

At that, the old miko looked up at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

Kagome explained what happened at Elu's birthday party. Kaede was, of course, concerned; but now that she knew what the younger miko's reasons the fact that she had brought a dark miko's dagger with her would hardly be surprising if she thought it would help her achieve her objective of freeing Midoriko from the jewel. It would make sense that she would want to seek out alternate ways.

"I see," Kaede finally said after her story. The cook pot was now emitting a very edible aroma of stewing mushrooms and wild boar meat. "Do you have any idea who could have managed to seal the dagger?"

"No," Kagome replied despondently. "But I'm hoping the jewel would leave me enough time so I could go back and fix the problem. As long as that person is out there, my brother and friends are in danger. And so are Shippou and Kirara."

"Child, what is it about you that makes you attractive to such troubles?" Kaede asked her with a sigh.

Kagome winced wryly. "I wish I knew."

"It does not matter," Kaede now smiled a little knowingly. "I'm sure your demon would know how to protect you if worse came to worst."

The younger miko blinked. "Huh? My demon?"

Kaede shook her head at the girl's cluelessness and jerked her round chin over a pile of neatly folded miko robes laid on a tree stump a distance away from the fire. "You should wash and change into something comfortable before you leave for Sango and Miroku's village."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Kagome said wryly, standing up and gathering her miko robes to herself. Kaede's words kept rolling around in her mind reminding her of something she was missing so she turned back to the old woman before leaving. "Say, Grandma Kaede, have you seen Yuuri?"

"I believe they woke up sometime ago," the old woman replied. "I believe your friend— Murata, you said his name was— was talking to him about something."

Kagome almost winced. She would bet anything he was still trying to calm Yuuri down about what happened last night and gave herself a silent note to thank her bespectacled friend if he ever succeeded. "Oh, okay; I'll go to the springs then."

"Your demons are quite strong, child but I sense a barrier preventing them from using their full powers in this world," Kaede commented. "Given some time, though, there's a strong possibility that that barrier can break."

Remembering how Wolfram used his flame last night, Kagome had to agree. "Yuuri is supposed to be the only one who can use his powers here with any amount of competency, but yes I think you're right. Don't worry, they won't hurt anyone, Grandma Kaede; they're good and honorable men."

"I believe you," Kaede nodded. "They are also… quite protective of you."

"Of course, my twin is their king; and Yuuri is a bit…" Kagome grimaced at the thought of the Maou. "Paranoid when it comes to me. I think it's Shouri's fault."

"It is most unusual for a demon king and a priestess to have ended up being born from the same womb," Kaede commented thoughtfully. "Be careful, child; I think there is a mysterious force behind the circumstance of your birth. One does not birth two great powers at the same time for no reason."

Kagome perked up seriously; she had learned to listen very carefully to Kaede's advice over the years. "I'll keep that in mind, Grandma Kaede."

Kagome mulled over the older miko's words but didn't really know what kind of motive anyone would have for wanting to have her born as Yuuri's twin. Maybe Kaede was just over thinking all this. She understood the circumstance of Yuuri's birth. How Suzannah Julia sacrificed her life to be the soul which will connect the next Maou to Shin Makoku and how Shinou planned all this in order to defeat the power that was Sousho back then. She saw absolutely no reason for her to be connected to this circle in any way.

She decided to forget about this new piece of brain candy and was smiling as she walked away to the man made hot spring that Sango and her 'convinced' Inuyasha to make a couple of years ago.

It was situated near the caves with a half demon made waterfall from a cliff and a small clearing surrounded thickly by trees. Inuyasha made the falls using Tessaiga, making a trench over the mountain to make the water fall to this spot from the cliff and then dug around the place to form the spring it fell into. Then he burrowed his way from a small underground volcano and led the lava right under the spring to keep it hot even during the winter before breaking off huge chucks of solid rocks to surround the bath. It instantly made him the hero in every woman's eyes in the village. She had always wondered ever since what had happened to the spring since it didn't exist in the future anymore every time she went back home to the shrine. Ken told her once that the volcano may have erupted and destroyed the spring. If so, why didn't Inuyasha repair it? She didn't want to think of the possibilities; she didn't think she could take it right now.

Kagome took off her clothes and neatly laid them in a folded pile on one of the large rocks surrounding the bathing area right beside her miko robes. As she delicately walked over to the edge of the water she had had to close her eyes against the memories.

Everywhere she looked, the shadow of the hanyou's existence flooded every spot of the Feudal Era for her. Every little nook and cranny was filled with his presence and after what happened last night she couldn't help but feel trapped by them now. If he were with Kikyou under his own power she would have left them alone; if he were doing all of these horrible things because he wanted to she would have tried to reason with him and not confront Kikyou at all; but the undead priestess had pushed the bar high and now she had to jump to reach it to get to Inuyasha and bring him back to himself. She will try to reason with Kikyou again and as soon as she got through to her she would be able to see him and Inuyasha happy and then…

Kagome sank into the hot spring reaching up to cover her chest with a hand as she remembered everyone she would leave behind. Her mothers. Her father… Grandpa, Souta, Shouri and Buyo… Her chest ached at the very thought of it but she needed to be strong. She was doing this for them. For the future that awaited them beyond the Feudal Era…

Her only guilt was the fact she couldn't tell them goodbye herself.

With that Kagome took a deep breath and dove into the hot water, relishing the feel of it against her skin this cold spring morning. She was in the middle of standing in the middle of the spring right in front of the waterfall, trying to fix the worst of the tangles in her hair by running her fingers over her locks when she felt it. That was when she heard a slight noise from beyond the bushes.

"Who's there?" she asked, a bit frightened.

For a minute she thought Miroku found a way to come visiting.

"…It is only me."

Kagome blinked a few times before her mind registered who the voice belonged to. "Gwendal?"

"Yes."

Another set of rustling and Kagome began to panic, thinking he was going to burst into the spring and see her buck naked. "_No, don't come here_!"

The rustling stopped; there was silence; and then he spoke again. "His Majesty wanted someone guarding you at all times. It is my turn for the moment. Is there something wrong?"

Kagome sweatdropped and deadpanned. "Of course he would. He wouldn't be Yuuri if he didn't bother someone over me. I'm going to have a little talk with him later. And no, nothing's wrong, Gwendal, I'm fine."

It was silent again and it made Kagome curious as to what the tall Mazoku was doing. Since the towering demon lord usually could be seen with his head and shoulders over and above tall bushes she could safely assume he must be sitting outside the copse of trees that led to the springs to give her her privacy; something for which she was thankful for. Still, with him within hearing distance Kagome couldn't help but feel self conscious, wrapping her arms around her naked chest and keeping her shoulders well below the water.

"…He is merely worried about you," she heard Gwendal break the silence. "I— _We_ are all worried about you."

Kagome blinked for a moment, letting what the stoic lord was saying sink into her brain. When it did, her panicked expression melted into a soft smile. This was the kind of person she wanted so much to live for so badly. People who actually cared for her; people who thought she _mattered_.

"I know," she said after a while, her voice soft. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"But everyone has been so kind. You and the others have even been helping the villagers," her smile turned a little wry at how she got that information. "The children are already in love especially with you. I saw you making them wooden carvings earlier."

A seemingly sheepish cough sounded from where he was. "It was no trouble."

Kagome forced herself not to laugh. "I didn't know you were great with your hands."

The next rustling sound seemed to announce his fidgeting. "…My brothers enjoyed them when they were younger. Conrad was a quick learner but Wolfram… well let's just say I would rather have him paint than let him lose any of his fingers."

She chuckled at that. "So Conrad can make wooden carvings too?"

"He's been giving our mother wooden Bearbees since she demanded we celebrate Mother's Day in Shin Makoku."

At that she laughed. "And how about you? What do you give her?"

There was a pregnant sense of hesitation that followed the silence between them before she heard him answer. "Poetry. My mother loves poetry."

Kagome's eyes shone with intrigue. "I never took you for a poet; will you read me one?"

"No!"

His abrupt answer hurt her a bit. "Why not?"

"_Because_!" she heard him sigh before continuing on in a milder voice. "I always wrote her original works; none of them I can recite from the top of my head."

"Oh…" Kagome felt shy and foolish for asking. Obviously Gwendal would only do such a thing for someone he cared deeply for. How arrogant of her to think she would ever be on the same level as his mother. "I see."

There was another pregnant pause between them; Kagome wanted to get up and get dried and dressed so bad but she felt shy at the thought that Gwendal was present even if he was hidden. There was something decidedly risqué about this whole situation that wouldn't let her blush disappear.

"Are you…" his voice nearly made her jump; so unexpected were his words. "Alright now?"

Something about the boyish wistfulness in Gwendal's tone made something clench in Kagome's heart. He sounded like a little child asking whether his mother was alright after seeing her cry. It made her ashamed of what they had witnessed of her life last night.

"I'm sorry." She managed to whisper.

"…About what?" she could practically feel his confusion.

Kagome hesitated for only a moment before speaking again. "About Inuyasha."

Silence met her. She could practically sense his disapproval but he was gentleman enough not to say anything that might offend her. She felt defensive against it. "I wish you've met him under different circumstances. He's a good person."

She heard him take a deep breath as though he was praying for patience and Kagome wondered what was on his mind. She looked up to Gwendal since he had always been so stable and secure person in the whole of her brother's statesmen aside from the other nobles so to her, his opinion was the most important outside the ones of her own family. His wisdom made her second guess herself and he had never failed to make her see reason whenever she was getting out of hand. She was almost afraid to hear what he had to say.

Suddenly, a disturbance in the wards she had spent so much time setting up yesterday made her gasp in surprise.

She felt the presence slip through her barriers with near frightening ease and began moving quite swiftly. Since she set up her wards in a special way that allowed allied demons through and kept unfriendly demons out, the ease in which this demon's presence penetrated her barriers could only mean an ally had arrived. Deciding to see which one it was and what they wanted she started stepping towards the rocks that held her clothes. However, she was not expecting someone to break into the tree line leading to the hot springs with such speed everything became a blur to her… Until it came to her semi dazed attention that she was now held against the wide, hard body of a large Mazoku lord dressed in yesterday's jeans and white shirt and had a sword pointed out towards anything and everything that might harm her.

"G-Gwendal…?" she croaked, slowly looking up at the dark haired Mazoku in dazed shock.

"I felt a presence nearby all of a sudden," he responded to her open ended question distractedly, his Prussian blue eyes hard as steel, rolling left and right to find the threat and prevent it from coming near her ignoring the fact that he was up to his knees in hot water. "Do not worry; I will not let it near you!"

Given any other situation, Kagome would hardly have minded his actions. He was an honorable general and a lord in his own right. He was just doing this because he was sworn to protect her by extension of her relationship with Yuuri, after all. Truly, she would have applauded his actions under normal circumstances…

_If she were fully dressed instead of standing here against him stark naked_.

She was molded against him tightly and only the instinctive reflex of her hands throwing themselves in front of herself when he appeared saved her breasts from getting crushed by his very broad, very masculine chest. She could feel his hand holding her to him by the small of her back, feeling as though an electric current was travelling from his every fingertip to travel all throughout every sensitive nerve of her body making Kagome fight with the sudden desperate urge to shift against him uncomfortably. She stared at his shirt which was now as wet as she was and the colors on her face heightened even further at the way it outlined every curve and muscle underneath it that was ordinarily concealed by his thick green great coat back at Shin Makoku. The sight was sinful and erotic and belonged on a billboard somewhere.

As though responding to her thoughts, Kagome felt the large, warm fingers at her back twitch a little making her bite her lower lip to fight off a moan at the sudden movement. Her thighs rubbed against each other making the feeling worse. Goodness, she didn't even know she was _that_ sensitive. Kagome didn't really understand it. She had been hugged by her family and friends so many times. Kouga had even literally swept her off her feet, swearing he would drag her away and mate her. Hell, she and Inuyasha kissed but she had never felt this kind of sensation during all of them!

Like her body had become hungry and the only thing that could satisfy it was getting closer to that touch…

Swallowing hard and deciding she should end this before it got any more awkward, Kagome nervously spoke, hoping against all hope that she could push a fast forward button away from the awkwardness that was sure to follow.

"U-um, Gwendal...?" she whispered nervously. "Um… it's fine. If they managed to get passed my wards it means they're allies. They're friends so…"

"How could you be so sure it is not Inuyasha?" he growled at her distractedly, spitting the hanyou's name as though it were poison with his sword arm seemingly tireless as it held his weapon warningly in mid air.

The question and the name that came with it doused her like a bucket of cold water. "Because if it is I would know."

Stormy blue eyes flashed from their immediate surroundings to glare down at her. The Mazoku lord was opening his mouth to speak but he froze when he realized just what kind of situation they were at that moment. And before her eyes the hardness of those blue eyes melted into something so hot and so potent Kagome felt like she was being singed to her very core.

Neither of them was conscious when his arm lowered his sword down as they looked into each other's eyes. For Kagome time had stopped as the awkwardness she was expecting to happen retreated replaced by this blazing atmosphere of… something she couldn't put a name to. All she knew was that it reminded her so much of that night back in Cabalcade. Just like that night something in her shifted in a way that left her drunk in the presence of this man; a sensation that— due to several circumstances after the incident— had not allowed her time to dwell on. All she knew was that there was something between them that made them ignite like a firecracker every time they were near each other but… That couldn't be possible, couldn't it?

How can a Mazoku as noble as this one feel anything other than friendship for someone like her? Her who could not even gain the heart of the first being she loved…?

The sudden twitch of Gwendal's fingers at the small of her back surprised a breathy moan out of her before she knew what she was doing. Kagome's eyes widened in realization of this and she bit her lip in a futile attempt to swallow it back. And then the slow twitch of his thumb moving minutely over her skin made her writhe against him wantonly for a second. The moment she regained her senses again she was forced to bury her face into his chest in shame missing the hungry, obsessed look on Gwendal's face as he stared down at her, savoring every reaction she had to a single touch from him. She was so aware of everything about him all of a sudden. Every muscle she was in contact with, the roughness of his denim jeans… the cotton of his wet shirt… and that musky scent of fresh musk and earth that he had always carried around with him like a shroud.

Kagome was so ashamed of herself. He must think she was such a slut.

"I'm so s-sorry…" _Kami, was that breathy little whisper really her voice just now?_ "M-maybe I should turn around and get—"

Another twitch of his hand on her skin sent her sense reeling in four different directions and Kagome couldn't stop from throwing her head back in a small strangled moan as she arched closer to his body, Gwendal's eyes seemingly drinking in the sight of her in a heated haze…

"KAGOME-SAMA! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

Faster than she could blink, Kagome found herself hauled behind the Mazoku lord and his sword was pointed straight at a familiar young man and a raccoon demon that had just broken out of the tree line and stood angrily frozen on the spring's shore.

"Halt and identify yourselves!" Gwendal demanded, his deep voice seemingly making the ground tremble.

"Kohaku? Hachi?" Kagome asked, peering from behind Gwendal's large body. She was mortified to see Kohaku still frozen and wide eyed on the shore in shock and his face was red with embarrassment. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I told you she was busy." Hachi's nonchalant voice muttered from behind the young demon slayer, immediately turning his back on the miko and her protector.

Kagome burned in mortification. "_This is not what it looks like!_"

Her words seemed to have slapped some sense back into the young demon slayer because in another heartbeat, he had his sickle and chain from his back and into his hands, his body taking on an offensive stance. Despite what Kagome just said his keen eyes assessed the situation logically before him.

A naked Kagome being held close by an imposing, unfamiliar looking demon. Kohaku's mind put two and two together and came up with…

Five.

"Let her go, demon! How dare you defile that which is sacred and holy?" the young demon slayer demanded.

Gwendal looked down at the young man from above his nose coldly. Clearly he was not very happy with the young demon slayer. "Know your place, _boy_."

"Why you…" Kohaku was about to attack when Hachi pulled him back in a panic.

"Are you _insane_?" he cried out. "Can't you feel his youki? His power is on par with Sesshoumaru-sama's!"

"_I don't care, let go, Hachi!_"

"You're brother in law is going to purify me if something bad happens to you!" Hachi cried, now embracing the demon slayer from behind.

"No! I need to protect Kagome-sama!" Kohaku yelled back at the raccoon demon over his shoulder. "What Miroku will do to you is nothing to what my sister will do to me if I let Kagome-sama get hurt!"

"Well," Hachi stopped and looked thoughtful for a minute. "I guess that's true…"

"Okay, this is ridiculous, stop it!" everyone stared at her blushing, fuming face even as she curled under the water with her arms over her chest glaring at them. "Everyone OUT! I'm not going to discuss anything without clothes on so get out or I will seriously hurt _all_ of you!"

Everyone paled at her growled threat and wisely rushed out of the clearing. Kagome sighed and buried her face in her hands for a moment trying to get a hold of herself.

"Why is everything such a mess?" she muttered and then blushed some more at the moment she had with Gwendal; the moment Kohaku interrupted. She wondered what would have happened if the young demon slayer had no interrupted. "No don't think about it! This is _Gwendal_ for the love of Kami! A refined man of that stature would never go for someone like me! Besides…"

_He is kind… He's just kind, Kagome; just as Inuyasha was kind. That's all there is to it… What man would love you like that…?_

And with that firm belief in her head, Kagome started finishing up her bath getting ready to talk to Kohaku and Hachi. Dressed in her miko robes she addressed the fidgeting boy and raccoon demon with every shred of dignity she had left while trying to ignore Gwendal's presence all together.

"Now tell me what the rush is all about." She finally asked.

Kohaku, blushed but gathered enough courage to look up and look at the woman who become a sister to him all these years. "We need you to come with us; it's the wolf tribe princess Ayame."

"Ayame? What about Ayame?" Kagome furrowed her brow at his words.

"It's bad," Hacchi said from behind the young man. "She's declared war on the humans."

/*****/

War.

Gwendal reached out towards Kagome to assist her from climbing down a transformed Hacchi's furry back. She looked a bit surprised at the gesture but then reached out to him willingly after a second. The moment her skin touched his hand Gwendal could feel that same invisible current he had felt from her the first time he touched her skin and accused her of using her powers against him. Now he understood what it meant and he struggled against the urge to crush her against himself protectively and take her away from all this violence; this constant struggle for peace and survival.

How could one so delicate and small be involved in things such as wars? What was she expected to do? What are they to demand of her? He had been a veteran of countless wars before and knew how endless it could be; he didn't want Kagome to be in the thick of everything he found ugly and hateful.

But as she passed him by, her back straight and her face set in determination as any queen or king he knew he had no other choice but to obey. All he could do was follow. Because he loved her; and his love was absolute.

Gwendal eyed the throng of barbaric looking demons wearing what seemed to be wolf skins and disliked how they seemed to be leering at his Kagome. At second glance, though, he noticed these animal skins were more than just clothing but a seemingly a part of themselves.

The Mazoku lord nodded over to his younger brothers and Conrad and Wolfram's answering nods told him they would protect the Maou and the Great Sage. He had already devised a strategy with Hacchi and Kohaku and though the boy and raccoon demon seem to find his worrying ridiculous he didn't care. When it came to Kagome he will risk nothing.

A gentle squeeze on his hand told him he had not let go of Kagome yet and he looked into her gentle face to see her smiling at him reassuringly. "Don't worry; I'll be fine."

Again the overwhelming urge to grab her and shelter her in his arms seeped into his very soul like a need. It was similar to the aching need and want he had felt for her in the springs that morning when he finally noticed she was naked under his touch.

He wondered if she could see it on his face; hear the beating of his heart? He wondered what she would do if she found out he had finally given and admitted the inevitable to himself?

He was almost afraid of the answer.

She let go of his hand and he fought the urge to grab it back, wondering when her warmth had become his strength and reassurance.

But she trudged forward fearlessly and he was reminded of all the times when their Maou had nearly given him heart attacks whenever he trudged onto enemy territory to pursue his ideals. Truly, she was their king's sister.

"Hi, guys," she greeted the wolf demons with a grin. "Long time no see; how's it going?"

"Kagome-sama!"

"It's Kagome-sama!"

"It's been so long!"

"Kagome-sama, why are you here?"

Gwendal blinked at the reverence and fondness these demons were exhibiting towards the dark haired woman. They acted no different from how the villagers in Kaede's village acted towards the girl.

"QUIET!"

The sound of a fierce, feminine growl silenced the entire pack and the trong parted to reveal a beautiful red headed demoness wearing white fur around her. Her forest green eyes glared at Kagome accusingly but Kagome met this with a warm, calm smile.

"Hey, Ayame, what's up?"

Ayame seemed taken aback by such a casual greeting and tried to regain her composure. "...Why are you here?"

Kagome's smile melted off her face. "I should ask you the same thing."

"Hah! I suppose that raccoon and the boy already told you," she tolf Kagome imperiously. "I am going to war."

"Don't."

"_And why not?_"

"War is not the solution to everything," Kagome reasoned with her. "Tell me what happened so I can help you."

"What can _you_ possibly do?" she snarled back at the miko; resentment clear in her voice. "You who can't even keep the man she loves to stay with her?"

Kagome's face turned serious. "Is this because of the fact Kouga keeps refusing to marry you?"

Ayame bared her fangs at her. "_You know nothing!_"

"Then help me find out!" Kagome yelled back at the wolf princess. "Fighting and being angry is all well and good but you are dealing with humans, Ayame; what better way to get what you want than to understand them through me?"

"I've had enough of this! Seize her!" she commanded the wolves around her.

Gwendal and his brothers immediately had their hands on the hilt of their swords, ready to protect the royal trio from harm however he blinked when the wolves seemed to be... hesitating.

Apparently he was not the only one who noticed.

"What are you waiting for?" Ayame yelled almost hysterically at her tribe. "I said _seize her_!"

Again none of the wolves moved and seemed even torn as they looked between Kagome and Ayame. The wolf demoness' face turned red in rage as she turrned to the former. "This is all _your_ fault!"

She charged towards Kagome with a murderous aura surrounding ehr and Gwendal was about to unsheathe his sword and shield Kagome from the redhead but Kagome's raised hand prevented him from doing so.

The miko waited as Ayame rushed towards her, fangs bared and claws sharp and Gwendfal had to hold his breath in.

"KAGOME!" he heard Yuuri yell from behind him.

However Kagome merely held her arms out to Ayame gently much to their horror but what amazed them was Ayame's reaction to the welcoming gesture. Her head on rush faltered and slowed down until the ferocious expression on her face broke down into one of pure despair. And then she fell into Kagome's arms and cried.

He watched as Kagome held the demoness tightly, saying nothing but her hands and her warmth were given in a gesture to comfort. And when the miko decided the red headed demoness had cried enough then she posed her question once again.

"Ayame," her soft voice called out to the young man who gazed at her with no little affection. "You know I would never hurt you willingly; please let me help you."

She sobbed and clutched at the front of her robes angrily. "If I do that then how can I ever be worthy as Kouga's mate?"

"You already _are_ worthy; more than that, even," Kagome started as she combed back the redhead's hair. "If Kouga can't see that then he's the one not worthy of _you_."

The demoness winced but bravely struggled to hold back her tears. "They got him, Kagome."

Kagome's brows furrowed at this. "They got who?"

Ayame's face attempted to crumble again as she answered. "Kouga...!"

Kagome's breath hitched at this even as she clutched the wolf demoness tighter. "What? Impossible!"

"It's true!" Ayame answered sorrowfully. "He was heavily injured and then Ginta and Hakakku came back heavily injured and they said a young lord took Kouga away!"

"Ginta and Hakkaku?" the miko's eyes widened in worry. "Where are they? What happened to them, Ayame?"

The redhead looked up and met her eyes with her green ones. "I think it's better if I showed you."

The exchange made Gwendal more than curious. He wanted to know who exactly this Kouga was and why he was important to Kagome. They were all led towards the caves Kagome rushed inside in dread, stopping at the sight that met her there.

"W-what's going on…?"

Gwendal's heart almost broke at the trembling note he heard at the end of Kagome's question as she stared down at two badly beaten wolf demons lying on a wide cot inside the caves that were the demons' territory. Ayame stepped back.

He watched as she tried to shake herself out of the shock and knelt beside the demon with a Mohawk and tried not to feel envious when she reached out to hold his hand. "Hakkaku… what happened…?"

"K-Kagome…san…" he managed to breathe out, even managing a grin as he clutched at her hand for all he was worth. "How are you…?"

"I-it's been a while, Kagome-san…" Ginta smiled through his closed eyes as well, his dimples showing. "We've missed our sister…"

Kagome's tears fell on Hakkaku's hand before she sucked in a deep fortifying breath to stave off more of them from coming. "What's going on? Who did this to you?"

Ginta chuckled painfully. "Same old Kagome-san…"

"Yeah… Always so concerned about others…"

"You are the pride of… our pack…"

"Has Kouga not proposed to Ayame yet?" the priestess asked gently.

Hakkaku laughed with a wheeze at that. "As soon as he found out Inuyasha chose Kikyou over you, he stopped considering Ayame-hime as his mate."

Gwendal saw Ayame wince and sulk at this but stayed silent. He couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for the rejection the girl must have gone through.

"We told him you wouldn't be his mate but he wouldn't listen…" Ginta snorted. "All the same, he was about to come to you…"

"We met Kikyou and Inuyasha along the way… they made you cry again…" Hakkaku sounded sad now; Kagome gasped in horror. "We could smell your tears all over them both..."

"It made Kouga mad as hell…" Ginta breathed. "He attacked Inuyasha but… he was so strong… and then… we noticed something else…"

"His blood beast… it was out…" Ginta shivered as though recalling the moment still horrified him. "Kouga didn't stand a chance… we tried to help him out but…"

"Then how did you get here?" Kagome asked in amazement.

The boy they now knew was Kohaku stepped forward and filled in. "I was coming back from a border patrol duty for Sesshoumaru-sama when I saw the two of them wounded along the way. Since Hachi was nearby I asked him to help me out so I brought them back here. That was when Ayame-hime declared war."

"But where's Kouga?" the priestess sounded a bit horrified. "Why isn't he with you?"

"A young lord came by with a lot of escorts and took him…" Ginta replied, wincing as a particularly harsh pain threatened to split his side. "He seems to have recognized Kouga and that he has an association with you… Because he told us he'll be taking Kouga with him and that we need to tell the Priestess of the Shikon no Tama…"

"And he says to tell you…" Hakkaku wheezed. "That if you don't come to Sumpu Castle… he'll have Kouga killed…!"

"Please…" Ginta swallowed hard. "Help him…!"

"Please…" Hakkaku cried. "Save him…!"

"Wait a minute, just what are you guys talking abou—"

Wolfram's protest was cut off when Kagome stood up all of a sudden, determination etched into every line of her body.

"Kagome…?"

"Hacchi." She suddenly spoke, ignoring Ken completely when he called her name.

"Ah! Yes, Kagome-sama?" Hacchi piped up, startled at having his name called all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry, but could you fly me over to Sumpu castle today?"

"Oh, of course! It would be an honor, Kagome-sama!"

"Thanks. Ayame, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The demoness nodded and then they watched as both females exited the cave, Kagome passing a straight backed Yuuri without even batting an eyelash. No one but Conrad noticed how the twins were grimly interacting with each other and he carefully watched his Maou for what he might do next.

"Whipped." Wolfram sneered at Hacchi, turning his nose up at the raccoon demon.

Hacchi rolled his eyes at him. "I didn't get this old by angering goddess level miko."

Everyone stared at the raccoon demon with wide eyes.

"Goddess level?" Yuuri asked suddenly.

"D-didn't you know?" the raccon demon was practically quailing under the weight of the Maou's unusual youki and didn't hesitate to answer. "She was able to break and control the power of a celestial item; a veil taken from the celestial being Princess Kaguya a few years back; everyone knows it. It takes a special kind of power to break a goddess' hold over you; she even broke the one Princess Kaguya had over Inuyasha that time, it was pretty amazing. Harnessing that power now she need not fear any demon. She is even strong enough to purify daiyoukai if she wanted to. So although the humans are still in turmoil the demons are still in order. With Sesshoumaru-sama as an ally the Shikon no Miko is an unbeatable force of nature."

"It's true," Kohaku nodded. Now that he had confirmed these mysterious demons' affiliation with the priestess, he was a bit more inclined to open up to them for business. "I remember that; Naraku used my body to hide in so he could absorb Princess Kaguya's immortal body too but they stopped him."

"That's right," Hakkaku chirpily added despite the hoarseness of his voice. "That's why Kouga wanted her as his mate."

Kohaku nodded. "Strength has always been an important factor to demons when looking for one."

"I keep hearing that word; what does it mean?" Wolfram asked curiously.

"I think the human equivalent of it is 'wife'," Kohaku answered and Gwendal started at that answer, a mound of possessiveness wrapped in his gut. Despite the apparent danger and suffering it brought, even demons from this era and place were drawn to her? "But what's more confusing is why a demon like you wouldn't know something like that?"

Gwendal ignored this question.

"She is truly amazing," Hacchi nodded proudly. "Inuyasha was a fool to choose Kikyou-san over her; not that I would ever say that in her face. Though Kagome-sama has surpassed her Kikyou is still a formidable foe."

Kohaku nodded, his dark eyes seemingly glazing over at the memory of this event; from Gwendal could see the boy must have had a lot of dark experiences that he wished he could forget. He could only imagine what they were. He was fast coming to understand that this place is neither smooth nor kind and it never cared whether they were women or little children. This land right now was as savage as nature itself.

"I remember…" Kohaku spoke, his eyes still with that faraway look in them. "Inuyasha was also in his blood beast back then because Princess Kaguya wanted him as a servant. But all Kagome did was trust him… kiss him… she saved him from himself."

As though by reflex. Gwendal found himself clenching his fist tight around the hilt of his sword and gritting his teeth at the narration.

_Why?_ His mind raged. _Why would she go so far for _him_?_

'He's a good person…'

_How can that Halfling be good if after all she had done he still had the audacity to betray her…?_

"Yuuri, what are you _doing_?"

"I need to talk to her," Gwendal saw his king was shaking slightly. Apparently he was the onyl one having the same thoughts. "I... I can't stand this anymore."

"Yuuri?"

"It's too much, Conrad!" Yuuri turned towards them, his ebony eyes glistening with pain and confusion and a hurt so deep in might as well have made him blled. "He's hurting her... _Kagome_! MY Kagome! I don't understand why... WHY WOULD SHE KEEP LOVING HIM?"

And with that he stormed out of the room leaving all of them behind.

Kohaku was the one who finally broke the silence. "Who was that really? Why does he look so much like Kagome?"

"He's her twin brother," Wolfram replied arrogantly at the demon slayer with all his princely arrogance. "And he is our king. Ordained by our Founder."

Kohaku huffed, arms crossed over her chest. "Don't fool with me; that person was no human but a powerful demon; how could he be twins with Kagome when Kagome is obviously human?"

"He is _more_ than just human," Conrad smiled at her warmly. "He is our Maou."

"M-M-Ma-MAOU?" Hacchi, Kohaku, and two wolf demons stuttered.

"Hey, that's not funny," Ginta snarled. "You could get killed spreading out jokes like that!"

"IMPERTINENT!"

"Wolfram, _please_!" Ken tried to calm down the von Bielefeld prince, finally breaking his silence since they started out for the wolves' den.

"Look, kid," Hacchi spoke. "It's all fine and dandy to be as powerful as you are but these are the Warring States. It's bad enough that any youkai would want to get their hands on you because of your abilities but to proclaim yourself as Maou means you're practically waging war against every demon lord in existence. You ought to be careful with what you say especially with a sister like Kagome."

"Why are you so surprised?" Ken asked, crouching beside Hakkaku to peer at the patients in interest; entertained at their reaction to Yuuri's title and taking note of every single information he was being given. "Is it really that strange to think of a single demon as Maou?"

"Nu-uh, youkai don't have masters but themselves and their lords," Ginta explained. "If a youkai acknowledges a lord then they form a pack. Where their lord goes, everyone follows. The strongest will outlive the others; it's the law of survival."

"You're worried about her, aren't you?" Ginta looked at him knowingly and he was met by a surprised stare from the young great sage. "If Inuyasha is in the state he's in last night then there's no doubt Kagome would save him no matter what. He'd do the same for her if they switched places, after all. If I were you, I'd just let her do what she wants. If you can't understand her now then just watch her. That's how we learned."

Gwendal was an intelligent person; in his mind he knew he could not fully blame Inuyasha for making Kagome fall in love with him when he knew his first lover was already dead. In fact, if he took the time to look at all of this objectively, Kagome's main problem was that she would not let go of her feelings for the hanyou. However the Mazoku lord could not help but feel that, through his kindness, Inuyasha kept stringing Kagome along and like a willing fool Kagome allows him to do that because her love was strong.

He understood somewhat but he could not quite get the big picture in his mind.

He could not understand the feeling of such unrequited love when it was better to keep on living and loving the same way his mother did after his father died. But then again, if it were him, would he want to be simply forgotten by the person he loved when he died…?

_Argh_, this was why he hated love issues; he was never adept in understanding it!

"You're probably angry, aren't you?" Hacchi started, looking at Yuuri knowingly. The Mazoku lord looked up at the raccoon demon that had his arms crossed over his chest. "You have that look about you. Like an overprotective parent about to lose their little girl."

"And how would you know that?" Kohaku asked him with a skeptical glance.

"Because your brother in law has the same look on his face whenever I mention how his little twins will end up fending off a battalion of suitors when they reach their first heat." He dead panned. "Anyway, you probably have the right to be angry. Personally, if it were my sister I'd probably tear Inuyasha limb from limb; just remember, though, that Kagome-sama is no fool. It would be different if she were constantly trying to make Inuyasha miserable because she was unhappy, but that girl is unlike the humans here. She _wants_ her loved ones to be happy; and she would never act to take that happiness away."

Kohaku nodded in agreement reluctantly, looking none too happy with this truth. "She would protect it jealously; that is her love."

Gwendal ignored the silence that came with this announcement and followed Yuuri as he should have done earlier.

He too wished to know the reaons behind Kagome's constantly loving heart for a man who obviously did not want her.

He too wanted to know about her love.

/*****/


	26. Chapter 26

**A.N.:** WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO AWESOME? I don't deserve any of you!

I'm so sorry; life's been insanely busy and I had to catch up to a lot of things now that I'm better; thank you so much for the encouraging words and your prayers I love you all! You make my heart so full and kinda couldn't help but tear up at some of the words I received from you guys.

**kimee; SweetHunniiBunnii; Phoenix; Bishonen'sFoxyMiko; Orihime-San**... thank you so much for your prayers and well wishes; T-Tv love you so much!

And **foxgodess07**; I noticed those errors and corrected them; I wish I could find a beta hehe.

**izadleen**! where have you been? I missed you!

Again thank you so much for the reviews; your kind words get to me; I love you all!

so now where were we...?

Please Enjoy! ^_^v

**Chapter 26**

"Cheri-sama! Cheri-sama look who's come back home!"

Cheri looked up from her worktable and smiled warmly when she saw Greta dragging a well dressed Shippou along with her. The boy still retained his small stature but there was something about him that seemed a lot more mature now. As expected of her brother in law, he must have trained the little kitsune good and hard.

"Well, welcome back, Shippou," she greeted the blushing little boy who sheepishly held onto Greta's hand. "I trust my brother has finally allowed you to visit?"

"Ehehehe," Shippou scratched the back of his head at that. "Yup! He says I've been paying close attention in my studies and I can come play with Greta for a while until he comes pick me up again."

"I see, how very generous of him," _Not_, she chuckled internally. If she had to guess, she would have bet Lord von Gyllenhaal had something to do about this short break. "Have you been well, Shippou?"

"Uhm!" the boy nodded, his green eyes alive and sparkling. "I learned lots!"

"Really?" Greta asked excitedly.

"Yup! And I'm showing you everything later!"

"Yay!"

"Well I for one would love to see that too," the former Maou announced, fondly smiling at children, missing her own boys when they were this age. "Just let me put this away and I will tell the maids to order us some refreshments."

"What are you doing, Cheri-sama?"

Cheri looked down at the wide wondering eyes of the little girl she considered her own grandchild and smiled at the sparkling curiosity glowing on her face. They were in her own personal greenhouse and surrounded by plants and flowers of every kind known and unknown in the entire world.

"What, this?" she held out a snowy white flower with wide petals that had a pink blush on the edges of it and a smaller, bloom with majestic layers of petals but was so deeply violet in color it almost looked black. "I am making a new flower."

"Really?" Greta gasped in delight.

"You can make flowers?" Shippou looked on, wide eyed.

"What kind of flower?" Greta asked further.

"The kind that is graceful and beautiful but is also overwhelmingly unique," Cheri smiled back at the flowers on her worktable. "The kind who can portray a special person."

"Special person…?" Greta blinked up at her.

"Yes." Cheri nodded towards the five flowers potted and placed in a place of honor on her shelf. "Flowers to me are like portraits. I make them in a way that mirrors my intended subject much like pictures in a frame. My earlier works like Cheri's Red Sigh, Secret Gwendal, Conrad Stands Upon the Earth, Beautiful Wolfram and Yuuri's Naiveté are all created to describe and portray the people they are named after. For example, while Secret Gwendal's flower is long stemmed like a proud man his flower is bowed because I know that he is secretly humble and the white of his petals though elegant are also pure to the core reflecting my son's kindness."

"Just like Gwendal…" Greta said in awe as she gazed at the flowers with more respect. "And Father's flower is bright and sincere and glows and makes everyone happy; just like Yuuri!"

"That's right," Cheri smiled down at her again fondly. "I portrayed them all; Conrad's strength through times of trials… Wolfram's beauty inside and out… and my desire for love released in every breath I take. I have discovered that I enjoy portraying the people I love through flowers more than painting their pictures. A picture may paint a thousand words but my flowers speak a thousand more; and the fact that they are alive makes them more special."

"You're amazing, Cheri-sama!" Greta exclaimed in absolute adoration as she turned back to the blond. "Who are you making this flower for this time?"

"Who else?" the former Maou laughed merrily. "We will give it to Kagome as a present when she comes back."

Shippou looked as though he were given the secret key to a treasure trove. "_Really_? Mama _loves_ flowers!"

Greta jumped for joy at hearing this and ran towards her worktable, now eyeing its contents with more interest. "Can I help too, Cheri-sama?"

"Of course," Cheri chuckled, brushing the child's hair back lovingly. "And when you have finally come of age and are acknowledged as an adult; I will also make one for you, Greta. And it will symbolize the lady that you will become in your fullest bloom..."

Greta's smile could have rivaled the brightness of the sun at that moment in time. "I can't wait!"

Shippou laughed at that. "I'm sure you'll grow up to be a beautiful flower, Greta! Just like Mama already is!"

/*****/

Kagome faced off with the angry members of the council of the wolves; Kouga and Ayame's advisers were glowering at her like she killed their families and pets but she stood strong. Kouga once told her that to stand before a demon council would mean she had to be fearless. To let them know she was more or less their equals if not their superior. Of course Kagome did not agree with such a tactic. She knew she could purify each and every one of the members in this clearing where she stood but that didn't mean she had to rub this in their faces. Instead, as soon as Ayame led her in their midst, she bowed in respect towards the wolf demoness' aging grandfather in his white wolf form.

"Greetings, Kiba-sama," the priestess started, baring her neck in an act of submission. "It's been too long."

The old, half blind wolf demon looked towards her and also inclined his head in her direction. "Kagome-sama; it's been too long indeed."

"I won't waste any of your time any longer, time is of the essence," Kagome looked him directly in the eye and although her voice remained soft her words were clearly heard by all the demons around her. "I want you to stop the attack on Sunpu castle."

"_An outrage_!" a burly looking wolf demon stomped a paw into the ground in anger. "Do you have _any_ idea what you are asking of us?"

"Even if you are an honorary member of this pack, you should understand that abandoning Prince Kouga is _not_ an option!" another leaner wolf demon told her.

"I am not saying we should abandon him," Kagome replied calmly, eyes modestly on the ground now. "I would never suggest abandoning a good friend like Kouga."

"Then what exactly are you saying?" Kiba asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I talked with Ginta and Hakkaku," Kagome started. "They said that the human lord who took Kouga wants me."

A period of silence filled the clearing which made up the meeting area until the old wolf tribe leader broke it. "Go on."

"I am willing to speak to this lord on your behalf and ask them to hand Kouga back over to us."

"...And if they refuse?" Kiba raised a skeptical brow at her.

"Then boil them, roast them... do whatever you want with them I don't care," Kagome sensed the excitement her words had aroused in the demons around her; how predictable that the notion of bloodshed should excite such primitive yearnings in such primitive minded creatures. "But I want to try to save Kouga without any bloodshed first before having the whole tribe run into a potential ambush."

Kiba fell silent, seemingly weighing the wisdom of her words before he looked up at her again, frowning. "Kagome... what you are proposing will put you in a grave amount of danger and with Inuyasha in the state that he is in right now—"

"She won't be alone." The wolves and Kagome looked around to see a determined looking Yuuri striding into the clearing with his fists clenched. The wolves started growling at the feel of his maryouko surrounding the demon king in a misty blue haze. "I'm coming along with her and so will my friends."

"Who is this...?" Kiba asked warily even as some of the younger demons jumped in front of him to protect the pack leader from the threat.

"Please stop!" Kagome ran and stood between Yuuri and the snarling wolf demons. "This is Yuuri; my brother. He means you no harm!"

The wolves failed to relax their stances, wary of the dangerous amount of power coming from this dark haired stranger. Kagome can't exactly blame them either. The last time she saw him unleash so much power was when he forced her to stay in Shin Makoku.

"Yuuri," Kagome hissed at the dark haired Maou over her shoulder. "Can it!"

Yuuri stubbornly looked back at her. "Not until you agree to talk to me."

"This is _not_ the _time_ for _this_!" she groaned in irritation.

"Too bad." Yuuri scowled back stubbornly, releasing even more maryouko that made even the thick, sturdy trees around the meeting area sway. "Let's see you ignore me now."

Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of faintly glowing deep blue stripes smearing across the bridge of Yuuri's nose and cheekbones and remembered what Kaede told her that morning about Gwendal and the others' powers. Not knowing what else to do, she did the only thing she could.

"_Fine_!" Kagome cried out in exasperation as she faced her brother fully. "We'll talk, we'll _talk_ damnit! Now _cut that out_!"

Yuuri closed his eyes and slowly opened his closed fists, pulling back his youki until it wrapped harmlessly around him like a thin cloak and the stripes on his face disappeared. Kagome glared at her twin brother to which Yuuri turned his nose up at. She wondered if he had been taking lessons from Wolfram.

"I'm sorry," Kagome bowed to the wolves again, taking note of the twitch on Ayame's face as she stared in awe at her twin brother. "He's actually a pretty good guy overall; just a little stubborn and ridiculous sometimes."

Kiba frowned and stared at Yuuri intensely again before he came forward and stood in front of the priestess. "If your allies consist of such powerful beings then it would not hurt to send you out to protect the pack. But if you fail, Kagome... There will be no stopping the wrath of the wolf tribe."

Kagome blinked at the permission she got; almost disbelieving what she was hearing; Kiba was known to be a leader who did not make decisions without pondering over them carefully. He was the kind who took his time in the middle of battle before casting his trap and completely dominating his enemy. But one look at Yuuri and it seemed the wolf demon leader had already made up his mind. She looked around at the members of the council... It seemed that they were all in accord. They looked at Yuuri in awe and fear.

"I-I thank you, Kiba-sama," she stuttered as she bowed to him gratefully and watched as the council melted into the trees surrounding the clearing until only Kiba and Ayame were the only ones left behind. "What was _that_ all about?"

"Pup," Kiba stood regally in front of her in all his frail glory, the tone in his voice as he spoke to her reminded Kagome of a sweet grandfather commenting on a favorite grandchild, but she knew better than to underestimate him. The pack leader of the white mountain wolves was not respected for nothing. "I realize what you are trying to do and I am grateful. Humans are multiplying too rapidly and soon they may even overcome us. Most of my tribe and even a lot of the other youkai may not see it right now, blinded by their own glory as they are but I am no fool. It may not take much to bury our kind in the pages of legends."

Kagome held her breath; the wisdom of the words and the pale eyes had taken her aback.

"However please refrain from taking yourself for granted," Kiba continued. "You are a lot more important to a lot of people than you think."

He took one last look at Yuuri, bowed slightly while still keeping his eyes at the dark haired Maou and disappeared into the forest.

"Unbelievable," Ayame shook her head from her place at the edge of the clearing and Kagome looked over at her. "Where in the world do you get such ridiculously powerful allies? Even grandfather was impressed!"

"Eh?" Kagome blinked and then looked back at Yuuri who was equally baffled by what just happened.

Ayame's face, however, became serious. "I'm only leaving this to you because you asked this of me but remember; if you fail, Kagome; pack or not I will _never_ forgive you."

Kagome met her eyes with determined ones of her own and Ayame was struck at how alike it looked to the ones the man she called her brother wore just a few moments ago. "I know."

Ayame frowned at her again before she smiled and nodded and followed her tribe back into the forest leaving the twins to themselves in the now empty space between the copses of trees.

The dark haired young woman turned towards her twin with a wary frown. "Okay, I give; what did you want, Yuuri?"

Yuuri took a step towards her, his face now serious. "We need to talk."

Kagome heaved out an impatient sigh. "If this is about Inuyasha—"

"You can damn well _bet_ it's because of Inuyasha!"

Kagome whirled around to face him. "There's nothing you can do; I am going to save him."

"_Why_?" Yuuri yelled back with a growl, the pupils in his eyes slitting in his anger. "Why bother when he is not worthy?"

"He is my friend."

"And you love him."

"And I love him."

"Okay, _see_? This is what I don't get about you at all!" Yuuri threw his hands in the air in complete exasperation. "This is the reason why I took you to Shin Makoku. You have an unhealthy obsession with that idiot!"

"What do you mean?"

"_This_!" Yuuri flung his hand towards her form, indicating herself. "This blind affection you have for him! What is that all about?"

"Would _you_ leave anybody like that if Conrad or Wolfram were in the same position as Inuyasha?" Kagome challenged him. "Can you tell me you don't love them?"

"That is not the same—"

"_Yes it is_!" she yelled back now. "Tell me, why did you forgive Conrad when he turned rogue on you? Why did you forgive Saralegui when he backstabbed you?"

Yuuri looked flustered but tried to retain his earlier bravado. "Those were different—"

"No, they're not!"

"Yes they _are_ and if you aren't being such a stubborn _ass_ you'd _realize_ it!" she screamed in frustration. They glared at each other, neither one giving in and Kagome was reminded of their argument back in Shin Makoku when he first dragged her over there; they were at an impasse just like this and she was getting tired; tired of explaining why the important things in her life were important to her. This time, she refused to end this discussion at an impasse. "If you're worried about me giving Kikyou my soul then there's nothing you should worry about; I wouldn't be able to give it to her even if I wanted to; the Shikon won't let me do that. I am going to Mt. Fuji to save Inuyasha and save Kikyou from herself if I have to; this is nothing unusual. All in all I am just going to do what I've always done and if you have even just a _little bit_ of respect for me; if not as a sister then as a miko here, then instead of stopping me you will help me. Just like what you told Kiba-sama just now."

It was now Yuuri's turn to sigh in exasperation and he squatted down on the ground, running his fingers through his hair tiredly at her words. It was a while before he spoke again in a sigh. "I love you."

Kagome looked at him, her eyes softening at the admission.

Yuuri continued. "I love you so much and I feel so bad that even though I love you this much I can't do anything to have prevented you from suffering so much in this era for all this time. I was like an _idiot_ back then; telling you about myself being spoiled rotten and getting all the luxuries in life while you lived like _this_," his voice hissed in self disgust. "I feel like I failed you in some really disastrous way. Ever since I became king, although I had my share of trials I was pampered, sheltered; Conrad and the others treated me like family and I got all the good things in life while I was there. I wanted for _nothing_ and the only thing I ever really worried about was baseball and making sure Shin Makoku didn't involve itself in war and the odd cases like Soushou and Saralegui but overall I was spoiled and I never suffered. But you..."

Kagome walked closer to him and sat beside his squatting form on her haunches and allowed him to talk. "Ever since you came here you were ripped open, threatened left and right with death and destruction. Heck, your _soul_ was ripped _apart_, Kagome! Then it was like you were living every day as though you were in a war zone and I never even had any _idea_. And then I find out that, even after everything you've done, you can't even get the simple things in life that could make you happy. Like getting the man you love to love you back.

"It hurts... It hurts to think of you suffering this way; it hurts to think that someone is making you hurt this way and most of all; it hurts to think that I can't do anything about it, Kagome. It hurts to think that I can't even save you from that _Inuyasha_," Yuuri looked at her and Kagome looked up, feeling a lump form in her throat at the tears forming there as well as the guilt and the despair in her twin's eyes. "Even now, when you're in the middle of a crisis there's nothing I can do about it and I just feel... I feel _useless_ to you even after all my big talk about protecting you.

"You've done so much for me and you almost got killed for it and yet I haven't even heard you complain and I thought, when I came here I would at least protect you from Inuyasha but you only ended up protecting me again," Yuuri laughed bitterly at that and Kagome could feel the bitterness and self loathing in her twin's heart. "I'm such a useless brother. I don't even know how to help you..."

Kagome leaned her forehead on Yuuri's shoulder again and fell silent for a while. She could feel their connection flowing inside her and understood, finally fully understood what Yuuri was feeling. She should have known that Yuuri's actions were rooted by a deep sense of guilt. She had had an inkling, despite her anger of why he had dragged her over to Shin Makoku in the first place but she didn't want to understand at the time; all she was thinking back then was that Yuuri was being a meddlesome brother who cared too much but didn't understand her; a brother who had no right to get in her way. In a way she was guilty as well; guilty of dismissing Yuuri's love for her as a petty bid for exerting dominance over her decisions when all this while he had been suffering from all this self recrimination. She had been stupid as well. What a pair they made.

She listened to his breathing and the songs of the birds around them and allowed the spirit of nature fill her with its calm and power to gather her courage before she spoke. "I love you too."

She heard and felt Yuuri take a shaky breath in at that declaration.

"You irritate me, you annoy me and you make me so angry I feel like blowing up sometimes but... I always loved you," she continued, her forehead buried on his shoulder again. "About the guilt you're feeling, all I can tell you is that you have to get over it."

"But—"

"I have never resented you," she looked him directly in the eye, straightening a bit in her position to do so and the pain in his ebony sight made her heart clench. "Whenever you tell me about Shin Makoku and how much fun you had there, I'd been happy for you. I was relieved you're safe and that there are people who'd give their lives over to _keep_ you that way. I was so proud of you when you overcame Sousho and Saralegui; I was so proud to see you turn into a better man and you should never feel guilty about that. There's no reason for you to be guilty about something that I chose for _myself_.

"I have accepted everything that's happened to me from the moment I was sent here to the Feudal Era; I _chose_ to complete the Shikon no Tama because its my obligation in the first place; if I left it alone then did you think we would be enjoying the peace we have in the future right now?" she wrapped her arms around his arm and leaned closer to him. "Inuyasha even tried to seal the well so I won't be able to come back here because even _he_ knew how dangerous it could be for me; but I came back because _I_ was the one who couldn't leave enough alone. I _chose_, Yuuri just as you _chose_ to become Maou. And I _refuse_ to regret the path I'd chosen.

"I understand you are angry at Inuyasha because you feel he's cheated on me and I deserve better;" he stiffened at the name but she held on to him tighter. "But I chose to love him like I chose to remain with him. I chose to stay by his side because I realized it's not just him and it's not just me. The world won't stop for me, Yuuri, just because he broke my heart. Naraku was on the loose and the lives of the people I hold dear were on the line. I couldn't just get up and leave; I would have never forgiven myself if I did that. Me staying here wasn't just about Inuyasha although I can't deny that I love him; I stayed here because I had to see this through till the end.

She felt her twin take in a shaky breath as though trying to calm himself and Kagome smiled with a full heart, her mind feeling so much lighter than ever since stepping back into the Feudal Era. Finally, they were listening to each other. Finally they would understand. "My job was like Yozak's and Hube's, it's the reason why I can understand them the most; they might have to do a lot of dirty work but they know someone's got to do it. Because people they love are on the line. For that, I know even I can move mountains. It's the same as you, Yuu-chan; you also have a job to do that only you can do; same as us. There's no reason to feel guilty about other people's choices. You can't save us from ourselves. I fight in this past so we can _have_ our future."

She felt Yuuri hold her hand with his free hand and gave it a squeeze. Kagome felt it all. His sadness for her, his regret and finally his resignation. Until she heard his surrender in his deep, long drawn sigh. "I'm sorry I was being a jerk about the whole Inuyasha thing."

She giggled at that and hugged his arm tighter for a second. "I forgive you; but you know? Knowing you were so mad for my sake made me happy you're there, Yuu-chan; because no matter what Inuyasha tells me, each time I saw you and you tell me how great I am I feel revived; you have no idea how much of an influence you are to people around you; you are our Sun; our light; _my_ light. Just you being there has always been enough to help me get through the worst of everything that's happened to me here. Whenever Inuyasha hurts me with his words I think of you and how much you and our family loves me and I don't feel so alone anymore; you guys are my strength. So don't feel bad. You have no idea just what you mean to me because even when you're not always by my side the idea that I can come back home to you was enough to keep me strong. With you around I knew I would never be alone and because of that I will always be grateful.

"So you _aren't_ useless," she looked up at his incredulous expression with a large grin on her face. "Annoying, irritating, stubborn to a fault, but never useless."

The large answering grin he answered her with was enough to heal the gaps in the relationship that her unrequited love for a half demon threatened to destroy and Kagome felt she could take on the world.

She knew— _just knew_— that as long as Yuuri was with her, everything was going to be alright.

And lurking just beyond the tree line upwind from them lurked the heart of a tall Mazoku lord who finally conceded this point as well even with the jealousy in his heart still heartily prevalent. Gwendal knew she understood her position with the hanyou and that she only wished to make him happy; so the only other solution was…

…To take her heart away.

It was something he had every intention of doing if she allowed him to do so.

/*****/

Sesshoumaru landed on the small island in the middle of the diamond pure lake seeing as this was where the scroll had told him to go. It was isolated and no other being of any worth moved in the vicinity and he entered the cave that seetled on the island, ignoring the darkness and stillness, confident in his demon abilities of sight, hearing and smell.

Deep inside the cave he saw it. A plain wooden box. He wondered what power it hid.

Curious to a fault, Sesshoumaru stepped forward gracefully until he was in front of the box. He sniffed and sensed the inklings of a strange power so dark it overwhelmed Naraku's darkness. He frowned for a bit; should he open it? What of it contained such evil?

The demon lord fingered Tensaiga's hilt but it gave off no warning; Bakusaiga itself was quiet.

His swords decided for him and Sesshoumaru opened the box to find...

...

...

...

...Nothing.

Wait.

His golden eyes narrowed and in the dimness of the box were a collections of scrolls made of flattened wood and strung up with hemp.

Picking one up and opening it, Sesshoumaru was surprised to see it was in ancient writing commonly found in his ancestral library. It seemed like a diary and when he rolled it up to see who wrote it only one name peeked out at him.

**...This is the property of**

**Christel von Wincott...**

/*****/

"Halt! Who goes there?"

The Imagawa soldiers guarding the gate of Sunpu castle scrambled to the castle gate, weapons drawn against the group of strangers coming towards the castle from down the road coming from the direction of the mountains. They faltered, however, when they saw that the strange motley group included a miko and five strangely dressed men, three of them having features that screamed their heritage as demons. Especially the one with the golden hair and emerald green eyes. The soldiers couldn't help but gape at the sheer beauty of these men folowing after this little miko who had eyes similar to that of ebony stones on fire.

Ken watched as Kagome fearlessly stood in front of the mesmerized soldiers calmly but glared when they refused to put down their weapons, his eyes drinking in the form of the structure that still existed in his own time and his hands itching to get his hands on a camera. "I am here to speak to your master; the one who has taken a friend of mine."

The captain of the guards blinked in surprise at this before realization dawned in his eyes and shot back to the fatally beautiful procession behind her. Behind him, it seemed his men had already realized who she was as they whispered her name.

"The Shikon no Miko...!"

"Is that really her?"

"She even brought her youkai servants with her."

"Is she going to destroy the castle?"

"Maybe we should kill her?"

Ken felt his companions stiffen at the whispered words and saw how Gwendal's, Conrad's and Wolfram's hands inched towards their swords and Yuuri took a step towards Kagome, ready to protect her. He raised his hand to halt Gwendal and the others and took Yuuri by the arm, urging him to calm down.

"Are you a fool? We cannot kill the Shikon no Miko! We'll be cursed!"

"I heard she's under the protection of the Lord of the West!"

"We'll be killed!"

"He'll follow us into the afterlife!"

The ensuing chaos was avoided when the captain of the guard held down his weapon and bowed deeply to the priestess. "Welcome, Shikon no Miko-sama; please follow me, the Young Master is waiting for you. Please have your attendants surrender their weapons to my men."

Kagome merely nodded and proceeded to walk inside the now opened heavy gate while the others followed her inside after giving up their weapons at the gate. Ken observed the activity in the castle. If he got his history right then this territory of the Imagawa acted as a functional stronghold but also maintained itself as a residential palace during the Warring States era so it was quite comfortable and lively. He took stock of the East Gate and noted several areas they could use to escape; he was not going to let any of his friends get hurt. Just because he didn't pose any objections about this escapade did not mean he approved of it. He knew Kagome and she acted a lot like Yuuri during situations like these; if he voiced any sort of disapproval then she'll just sneak off alone and who knew what'll happen from there?

Kami give him strength.

They were led by the lone soldier through the castle and into a back garden contained and seemingly sealed in the deepest part of the castle. Murata's eyes widened slowly in realization when he noticed where they were and hurriedly walked behind Kagome to whisper in her ear. "Kagome... what year is it here?"

Kagome glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she answered the question. "1552, I think."

"Oh shit, I think I know who you're about to meet," the bespectacled Great Sage said in an almost faint voice. "I took a tour through this place when I was in 5th grade and they pointed this out to me!"

"Really? Who?" Yuuri asked, curiously behind them, also busy looking around in curiosity but his attention was caught by Murata's comment.

Kagome smiled nervously at him, realizing what he was saying since she took the same tour herself when she was at that age but never broke her stride. "Nah, come on, Ken, what are the chances?"

"What? What is it?" Wolfram asked in irritation, not happy about being left out of the loop, his brothers equally curious behind him but never breaking their guard.

"We are here, Young Master," they heard the captain of the guard say as he bowed in front of a pair of closed shouji doors, preventing Wolfram from getting any answers. "The Shikon no Miko has arrived."

There was a faint rustling from the room beyond it before a child's high pitched, cultured voice came from inside. "Present them to me."

The captain of the guard stood up and opened the shoji door before indicating that Kagome and her party enter. She did so and gracefully bowed followed by her companions to the shadowy figure beyond a bamboo screen hiding the presence from their eyes until the captain that led them here knelt beside the partition and carefully pulled it up revealing a well dressed little boy of eleven years old.

"Welcome, Shikon no Miko, to Sunpu castle." the child greeted her solemnly, his shrewd, beady black eyes taking her in somewhat greedily.

Ken mentally winced. He knew it.

And it looked like Kagome knew it as well but she was holding her own really wisely. He wondered how many of these kinds of meetings she had gone through during her time here in the Warring States.

"Thank you for your gracious welcome," Kagome nodded to him politely after she straightened her back again. "Please, call me Kagome."

The boy blinked at her for a moment before testing her name on his tongue. "Kagome..."

Kagome smiled at the boy. "Hi, what's your name?"

Ken sweat dropped at Kagome's casual attitude; didn't she realize who she was talking to yet?

"Uh..." the boy seemed nonplussed by her easy attitude before shaking his head and struggled to regain his noble demeanor. "I am Matsudaira Takechiyo."

"Ah, Takechiyo-kun," Kagome smiled a little bit widely now, "You're cute trying to act all grown up, how can I help you, anyway?"

Ken noticed even Yuuri was giving Kagome an incredulous wide eyed stare now. It seems that even Yuuri had found out just _who_ they were talking to.

Takechiyo seemed at a loss for words at her treatment of him; even the captain of the guard who was kneeling beside the young lord's bamboo screen looked rather shocked at Kagome's fearless behavior so uncommon in gently bred young women of this day and age.

After a while, it seemed the boy had found his voice again. "Shikon no Miko—"

"Kagome."

"...Kagome..." the boy hesitated. "I suppose you already know why I called you here?"

"No," Kagome answered him still with that smile on her face. "But I _do_ know why I came here, though; and that is to retrieve a precious friend of mine."

At that, Takechiyo's beady black eyes widened as much they could. "You're talking about that wolf demon; the one known as Kouga."

"Yes," Kagome then stared back at him her smile fading and her eyes hard. "And if you have hurt him in any way I will make sure you will be punished severely and like the child that you are."

Ken felt his heart stop as he stared incredulously at Kagome while Yuuri gasped as though in the verge of hyperventilating. Even the captain of the guard looked like he was on the verge of an apoplexy before he recovered and reached for his katana. "How _dare_—"

"Wait." the young lord stopped him and stood up from his elegant cushions, walking up to the dark haired priestess. "You. How dare you speak to me in such a manner?"

Kagome did not falter. "You took a wounded friend of mine and held him captive then had the gall to summon me as a condition to free him; I think I have every right to be a bit irritated."

"You are not afraid of me?" the little boy's eyes widened as much as they could on his small, mouse like face.

"Why should I fear a hostage?" she shot back serenely.

Takechiyo stilled. "You know who I am."

Kagome nodded. "I make it my business to know who crosses me and mine; you are no exception, Matsudaira-dono."

Ken's glasses blazed over at the bluff and applauded his female friend silently.

The boy fidgeted. "What does it matter? As long as you're here I don't care."

"You _should_ care," she told him with a hard stare. "You almost involved this castle and its environs in a war you could not have possibly won."

Takechiyo stubbornly frowned back at her.

Kagome continued. "Kouga is the prince of the demon wolf tribe; any part of the wolf tribe that has been hurt or slighted by anyone; especially humans would be swarmed by their pack and punished in a way so horrifying a battlefield would have paled beside it. Taking their prince like that was like a death wish waiting to happen."

"Ha! I would like to see those demons try to take Sunpu castle!" the captain of the guard barked, looking down his nose at her.

"You're saying that because you have swords, shields and spears," Kagome rested calm and sure eyes on him. "I'm telling you now that I have fought demons who can wipe out entire armies... or have you not heard of Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord of the West?"

At the name, the man's face paled until it looked like he was going to faint.

"If you dared seek me out then you know of my reputation, Young Lord," Kagome told Takechiyo honestly. "And if you kidnapped Kouga the prince of the wolf tribe and demanded my presence here then I have enough reason to believe you know what kind of allies I keep as well."

Ken watched; his body tense like a bowstring ready for launch. He was in awe of Kagome's interaction with the future lord of Japan and wanted to spring into a panic much like Yuuri was doing right now; Gwendal and his brothers had the luck of the ignorant but even through his panic Ken waited. Kagome rarely did things without a reason when she was dealing with these kinds of situations of that he was sure. He taught her better than that.

"You need something from me," Kagome continued speaking to the young lord, her eyes never wavering. "What do you want in exchange for the freedom of my friend?"

Silence enveloped them all with baited breath... until Takechiyo broke it.

"Marry me."

Ken blinked and he could feel the others stiffen at the words. Yuuri's eyes were practically falling out of their sockets but he saw the tense expression on the Mazoku brothers' faces. Marriage for Mazoku nobility was nothing to joke about; it meant forever and a day and always. It didn't matter how young the couple were as long as there was consent on both sides or— in Cherie-sama's case— specifically ordered by Shinou.

Kagome sweat dropped at the proposal and... did she just _twitch_? And was that a look of exasperation on her face? Just how many proposals does she get in this place? And how often?

"Aren't you a little too young to be thinking about marriage at this point?" she asked the young lord, sounding a little tired.

Takechiyo knelt in front of her, his back straight, and his eyes shone with a bright, childlike eagerness one can only attribute to the young... or an overeager puppy. "I have seen your power before when you have battled demons near here at one point. You are the most powerful woman in all the Warring States said to have allies of inhuman strength and power. I have heard how other lords speak of you... Even my lord Yoshimoto has revealed an interest in you although this may only be because Lord Oda has expressed the same. All of them want you for their own! With you by my side I can rule all over the whole country!"

Ken's brows rose at these words. Matsudaira Takechiyo was ambitious for one so young. "Are you really okay discussing such things with this man in the room, my lord?"

For the first time, Takechiyo's eyes veered away from Kagome but after dismissing Ken with a glance, returned his eyes back to the priestess. "He is a retainer of mine, allowed here at the castle to serve me."

"Look, that's all well and good; it's good for boys to know what they want to do when they grow up," Kagome started nervously, starting to fidget at the little boy's regard. Ken sweat dropped at her words. "But I don't want to get married yet; sorry."

Takechiyo stared at her with incredulous eyes. "Nonsense! Girls your age would have five children with her by now!"

"Takechiyo-kun, you don't understand," Kagome sighed and patted him tenderly on the head lightly. Ken was mentally crying in the background; why was she treating the future unifier of Japan like some sort of wayward pet? "I'm not a peasant or a noble lady; I'm not even a wealthy merchant's daughter. I am the Shikon no Miko; my purposes in life here do not include marriage for the sake of the path of conquest."

The boy scowled at her and stood up, looking down at her kneeling form as much as his diminutive form would allow. Looks like the boy had yet to deal with the notion of rejection. "Then I will not release the wolf demon Kouga."

Kagome winced and scratched the back of her head thoughtfully. "Oh man…"

A brief explosion of youki had Ken turning around to gape at their resident Mazoku lord emitting a green haze around himself and the Great Sage could feel the rumbling of the ground underneath the building. People outside would probably think they were undergoing some minor earthquake which was not so uncommon in this part of the country but the bespectacled soukoku knew that had the earthquake gained any sort of intensity it would have left everyone but them untouched. What shocked Ken most, though, were the faint traces of green stripes slashing like blades up Gwendal's cheeks as his maryouko unleashed itself like a slowly disentangling ribbon from around him.

"Are you sure you are in a position to demand anything from her?" They were surprised when Gwendal's deep baritone broke through the silence and everyone turned towards the dark haired Mazoku lord. He met no one else's eyes but that of the boy. "As a hostage in this castle, isn't there a limit as to what you can and can't do?"

The young lord seemed to falter at his intensity for a moment and it looked as though he caught himself just before he dropped on his knees.

"I am a favorite of the Lord Imagawa," Takechiyo announced proudly despite the quaver in his voice. "As long as I am with a strong escort, I am allowed a few trips outside this castle as long as I keep myself in disguise. I can do whatever I want."

"Even cost him a castle?" Gwendal looked up, his cool blue eyes taking the boy aback even further. "Do you have any idea what you are dealing with at all? Don't you know that between the three of us here, we can easily make this castle fall?"

Takechiyo's face flushed angrily at that. "Liar!"

"Your walls may be well defended and your guards well placed outside this perimeter but you made the mistake of letting all of us in here; and I have been in enough wars to know that when a castle is broken internally then it would only be a matter of time to break it externally." Gwendal continued his face straight stoic and virtually impregnable. His stripes solidified a little further.

Ken frowned thoughtfully, his brain processing this information; could Christel have experienced such changes while in this world as well? Was this a byproduct of the exposure to this world's nature? If so then there was a great possibility that Gwendal and Wolfram would be able to use maryouko in this world if they tried to live here just like Yuuri. Something about them also seemed fiercer; wilder… as though they were currently on a warzone and drunk on battle. But why would their power only expose itself in this era and not the modern world where they have spent a lot of time in? So was this also the reason why Yuuri could use his powers in both Shin Makoku and Earth? Was all that also a part of Shinou's plan? Was this the real reason he chose Earth as the Mirror of the Sea's destination?

If that was so then he might have underestimated Shinou plans all along…

"Um? Guys…?" Yuuri looked around at his loyal statesmen nervously, knowing from experience how dead serious they were; he knew Takechiyo was being an obnoxious little brat but surely they didn't need to go this far. Right?

Conrad nodded with a warm smile on his face, ignoring his king for the moment while holding his still sheathed sword point down on the tatami with his right hand casually. Ken and Yuuri's eyes widened when they saw the hint of a fang appear in the corner of that smile and a faint rusty brown haze ripple over him. "Besides, since you are so favored by the Lord Imagawa we could always take you hostage if he tries to come after us."

"You wouldn't da-"

The captain stopped from pulling out his sword at the sight of Wolfram's already drawn weapon closely held onto Takechiyo's jugular while the von Bielfeld prince crouched low at his feet. They didn't even see the blond _move_. Yuuri was astounded to see the youngest of Cheri-sama's sons sporting what now looked like a faint blue arrowhead tattoo running face down under his left eye like a strange scar.

"Impossible… we confiscated your weapons!" the captain growled through gritted teeth.

"We have friends who can conceal reality with illusions," Ken told him cheerfully. Internally he thanked Hacchi for putting that camaflouge spell on the brothers' swords and to Kohaku for providing them with fake weapons to surrender at the gate. "We can't let you have the advantage, after all."

"D-damn it…" the captain knelt on the tatami helplessly in shame.

Ken took note of Kagome and though she was just as astonished as he was at the changes that had burst from their friends she knew the situation was also dire. If she didn't so something to smooth things over then they might just screw up history as they know it. The extent of the balance she was desperately trying to keep here was mind boggling and he could just imagine the pressure she must have been under these past four years trying to collect the shards and keeping herself out of reach from lords trying to take possession of her and her powers.

And that devil be damned jewel which has taken a hold of her compassionate soul…

"What is it exactly that you want, Matsudaira-dono?"

Her calm question made everyone stop and look at her still kneeling form facing the standing and terrified boy, Wolfram and the numb captain in front of her. She wasn't looking at anyone anymore, merely staring thoughtfully at the mat in front of her. Ken and Yuuri both stared from either side of her still kneeling on the mat but poised to intercept the three Mazoku brothers' wrath.

"What?" was all the boy could utter, still held in place by Wolfram's sword.

There was a hint of confusion, even frustration on her face when she looked up to meet the young lord's eyes as though she really can't understand what it was that he wanted from her. "You know of me and what I am… so you can't possibly be interested in me as a person but what I can give you in terms of power. So tell me; what is it that you _really_ want? What is it that drives you? What is your dream?"

"What I want…?" the boy blinked several times as though contemplating what he was about to say.

Around them everything stilled, even the demons threatening him, and inwardly, it seemed the young lord realized he was in a make or break situation. Whatever he wanted would be evaluated and judged by this woman in front of him and she would decide if she found his dream worthy or wanting. Should he lie? No. Those sparkling ebony orbs lit with the spark of pure power would see right through him, he didn't know how he knew he just felt it. In the end; he decided to be honest.

"I want…" he breathed deeply before continuing, his muscles relaxing despite the blade still threatening his life as determination and ambition set in his soul. "_I want all of Japan_."

Silence met his answer and for a moment, Takechiyo thought she was going to laugh at him for a minute. She looked thoughtful for bit but then she smiled. She smiled a very cunning, very mischievous smile that practically screamed _woman_.

"Alright."

Everyone who had their maryouko on standby dropped it like a lead block followed very closely by the jaws of a pair of soukoku young men and a gaping captain of the guard as they all stared at her as though she had gone crazy.

But she merely stood up gracefully and smiled gently at the young boy. "I will use the powers of the Shikon no Tama to grant your wish."

Takechiyo perked up happily at her words. "_Really_?"

"However," she raised a finger to tamp down the little lords over eagerness. "If you want to be able to hold onto your wish forever and be followed by you descendants after, I want repayment."

The boy frowned. "Would not my wish hold it to me forever?"

"True, but if you know the history of the jewel then you would know forever only means your death. Even my predecessors before can attest to that; the jewel is sly this way, it is the darker half of its power."

Ken hid his eyes away from the others at her words clearly remembering their conversation last night.

Her serious and sad tone made the little lord stiffen. "Alright, what do you want?"

Kagome smiled at him approvingly. "Since taking Kouga from you now would be too easy and doesn't really count; I want another favor. For this wish I will bind you to it with your deepest honor and your sincerest vow. Break it and you yourself will be broken and the ones who follow you must uphold it as well."

Takechiyo nodded with all the solemnity his eleven year old self. "I will make it so that it is law and that violation of this agreement will lead to their abdication."

"Then I want," Kagome looked him in the eye after nodding in approval. "Your protection over all demon kind."

"Preposterous!"

"What?" Wolfram cried out the same time as the captain.

Kagome ignored them and continued. "I am not asking you to conquer them; do that and they will resist and destroy you; all I want is for you to keep the humans from dissolving their existence in its entirety."

"If I do that and I am seen as a traitor to my kind then wouldn't that be the opposite of our agreement?" Takechiyo asked skeptically.

"I just want you to cooperate with the demons in secret; don't do royal mandates and pursue them openly, they would be fine surviving on their own if the government pretends to ignore their existence while all the while also offering them the chance blend in with the humans if they want to," Kagome explained. "Of course if they decide to do that they would abide by your laws and keep the peace in their own homes. Just let them exist; aid them if they want to fade into obscurity and never hunt them down like dogs. They, in return, I can assure you, will help you and your line hold onto the throne forever."

Ken's eyes widened in realization. That clever, _clever_ little she fox! He had to grin at Kagome's plan; this way, she could be assured that the royalty and demons would co-exist no matter what! It was a hole in one!

Takechiyo seemed in awe, however. "You think I will be that powerful?"

"You are making a wish on the Shikon no Tama, after all," Kagome told him with a smile of her own. "Why do you think it is so heavily protected?"

The boy blinked before nodding seriously. "Alright, I agree."

"Young Master—"

"Silence."

"Then so be it," Kagome closed her eyes and placed a hand over the boy's head, letting a little bit of her purifying power to make for a good show and healing little illnesses of the boy along the way. "I, Higurashi no Kagome, declare Matsudaira Takechiyo as future unifier of Japan. You will rule over Japan and unite the Warring States and claim it as your own under the name… Tokugawa Ieyasu."

Ken tried to stop himself from smirking while Yuuri and the others gaped.

"Tokugawa?" the captain gasped.

He was ignored and Kagome lifted her hand away from the little lord's head, smiling as he looked at his hands with wide eyes.

"I can feel it!" he cried out. "I can feel the Shikon no Tama's power! I feel stronger!"

Ken looked at Kagome, wondering what she did but she remained focused on the little lord. "It will take time for the wish to stipulate so you must not stop chasing after your goal; this wish will not be instantly given so you must keep your wits about you and use all your faculties to the fullest. Never let your guard down."

Takechiyos seemed disappointed. "You mean I am not ruler now?"

"You will be," Kagome assured him. "You just need to earn that name first. That which is easily acquired is also easily dispensable."

"I see," the boy nodded solemnly. "I understand; I will work hard!"

"Then I will now tell you how to keep the position."

The little lord looked up at her eagerly. "How?"

"You must pass a certain condition in order to successfully fulfill your heart's desire and keep the position in your family forever." She told him.

Takechiyo settled back and blinked up at her. "Condition?"

Ken raised his brows at her, wondering what she was up to now. Wasn't she finished?

"Yes." Kagome folded her hands in front of her as she continued to smile gently down at the boy.

"What condition?"

"You must find and follow the path of 'Love'."

Takechiyo scowled. "'Love'?"

Kagome nodded at him somewhat solemnly but Ken could see the hidden twinkle in her eye.

"I can see into the future… All the lords before you will all follow the Path of Conquest and their conquest will fall one by one because of that; for you to not only _have_ Japan but to also _hold_ Japan long after you die, you need to follow a different course; a course mostly ignored by your predecessors; and that is 'The Path of Love'."

"Pfft, what garbage are you feeding my lord?" the captain that had been by his side now stood up glaring angrily at Kagome. "Such feminine frivolities have no place in war!"

"Just what are you fighting for when you go to war?" Kagome shot at him with a disapproving look. "Pride? Honor? Riches? For the honor of the lord which you serve? Or all of the above?

"Takechiyo-kun, I have promised you Japan," she turned back to the boy. "You will acquire it through the Path of Conquest just like anyone else however to keep it and for your legacy to inherit it; you cannot walk that path again. You will need 'Love' to learn how to keep it."

"I don't understand," Takechiyo frowned, crinkling his nose at her. "The Imagawa will force me to wed when I am old enough; are you telling me that my wife will be that 'Love'?"

"I will let you be the judge of that by yourself," Kagome smirked at him. "Don't worry, just keep to our bargain and you'll know it when you see it; because your descendants, the ones who will hold the throne for you in the future, will come from that 'Love'. So you should hold it dear when you find it. It will be the greatest thing you will ever know…"

"I don't understand," Takechiyo furrowed his brows as though in thought. "What does that feel like? Do you know, Shikon no Miko? Have you ever been in love?"

The sad smile that shone through her lips was enough to give everyone in the room pause. "Yes…"

"Is that why you refuse all proposals of marriage? Because you already you already have someone you love?" he blinked up at her.

Kagome giggled and ran a soft hand over his hair as she answered. "Like I told you, Takechiyo-kun; the Shikon no Miko does not live and love like a normal woman. Our lives are dedicated to the kami and to protect this jewel on this earth. We are not allowed the luxury of love."

Takechiyo frowned at this and stared at her for a moment before speaking again. "You are a strange woman."

She cocked her head to the side at that. "What do you mean?"

"When I told you about how many lords are interested in you and that I wanted to marry you you immediately assume it was because of your power."

Kagome blinked at that. "So? Isn't it true?"

"Why is it then that even though you have given me my wish I still want to marry you?"

Ken and the other sweat dropped at the innocent comment.

"The other lords also mentioned the same thing," the boy added looking quite sincere. "They all said they sought you out for your power… but then after meeting you they said they started wanting more than that."

Kagome blushed, perplexed from what Ken could see. Clearly she was not expecting such a comment.

"Anyway," Takechiyo turned back towards the captain who was still eyeing Kagome with some suspicion. "Take them to the dungeon and give them the wolf demon; make sure they get out of the castle safely."

"Yes, Young Master." He bowed before leading the way outside.

Before leaving, Kagome turned back to the young lord one last time with a kind smile. "I'll be expecting great things from you… Matsudaira Takechiyo."

She left the awestruck little boy staring after her and at that moment; Matsudaira Takechiyo— future Tokugawa Ieyasu— decided that if 'Love' had a smile, it would be like hers…

Later on, they were brought to the dungeon where Ken saw 'Kouga' for the first time. It seemed he was already healing and Yuuri helped quite a bit to alleviate his pain with his powers. Constructing a make shift stretcher, Gwendal and Conrad carried the wolf prince's unconscious body outside the castle walls using a back gate and approached the area where Hacchi and Kohaku were waiting for them. No one dared block their way.

/*****/

"We should take him to Sango and Miroku's first," Kagome told them, never taking her worried eyes off Kouga for a moment.

As soon as they saw Hacchi and Kohaku at their meeting point at the foot of the mountain, Hacchi transformed and Gwendal and Conrad hoisted Kouga carefully on his back. Yuuri immediately began healing most of his wounds with what little healing magic he knew.

"Kohaku, do you mind if you tell Ayame and the others what happened? I don't want them charging out here thinking we were done in." she turned to the young demon slayer.

"Of course, Kagome-sama." Kohaku nodded at her and started to leave.

"Oh, before you go," Kagome pulled out a notebook and pen from her backpack Wolfram was carrying and started scribbling a letter on it. She then ripped the paper off from the notebook and gave it to Kohaku. "He'll probably be disgusted with the way I'm writing this in a notepad but can you take this to Sesshoumaru for me?"

Kohaku took the folded little note and nodded. "Of course; I'll see you in a few days, Kagome-sama."

"Be careful. Stay safe." She watched him disappear into the trees wishing Kirara would come back and give back her services to the family of demon slayers.

"Hey, what was that all about?" Wolfram asked from where he was loaded down with their bags.

The poor blond was given the task of having to carry all their luggage since his older brothers were going to carry Kouga on the stretcher on Hacchi's back to make sure he didn't fall off.

"It's a letter to Sesshoumaru; it'll tell him about the deal I made with Takechiyo." She told him even as she turned back to Kouga and to Yuuri who was trying his best to heal the wolf prince's wounds. "He'll need to know that for future references; no pun intended."

"About that, I don't get it, what did you do?" Yuuri gave her a confused glance as he lay his glowing hands over Kouga's still body. "We already know Matsudaira Takechiyo's going to become Tokugawa Ieyasu someday; what the heck was all that show for?"

Kagome and Ken laughed while Yuuri and the Mazoku brothers looked at them in confusion. "People in this era are like that; it's also the reason why they are always after me. The power of the Shikon no Tama is sought after like the freaking Holy Grail around here and it's kinda exasperating whenever one of these lords come around asking for my hand in marriage just to acquire his wish since they keep thinking that I'll give them the wish once they acquire _me_. It all comes with the obedient wife hullabaloo."

"So she pretended to use the Shikon no Tama to give him his wish so he would give it a rest already," Ken continued where she left off in amusement, looking at Kagome like a proud parent. "And on top of that, she also assured demon kind would have some sort of protection, at least here in Japan for as long as the Tokugawa Shogunate exists and we both know they'll exist for so long demons would have probably fallen into legend by the time the Tokugawa Shogunate falls."

"And it helps that they view Kagome as some sort of deity…" Gwendal muttered thoughtfully.

Kagome nodded with a content smile. "It'll all be up to them from now on…"

"Probably not the government, per se, but something relatively close to recognition may exist in our time," Ken couldn't stop smirking. "I guess we owe it all to Kagome that demons still exist in our time in the future. I've always wondered about that."

"I still don't understand," Wolfram stood up, hands over his hips and scowling in displeasure at the trio's conversation. "What the heck does that little brat have to do with any of that?"

Seeing Gwendal and Conrad's expressions mirroring their youngest brother's, the twins and Ken understood their confusion.

"You guys remember we're in the past right?" Kagome asked them and they nodded. "And you remember what I told you that everything we do here will influence the future and that includes mingling with the nobility here and the figures that may influence that future."

"So does that mean that brat was a figure who'll influence the future?" Wolfram asked, scrunching his face at the thought.

"That 'brat' is going to become the ruler of all Japan," Ken told him. "According to our history, he'll change his name to Tokugawa Ieyasu, ally himself with the first two lords who will unite Japan first and then go down in history as the Shogun, an equivalent to the Maou, and his descendants will rule until the Meiji Restoration and ultimately end the Feudal Era and acquire peace."

"He's going to be _that_ important?" Wolfram asked; his eyes wide. "That lecherous spoiled brat?"

"I don't think you have the right to call him that, Wolfram." Yuuri sweat dropped.

"What's that supposed to mean, Wimp?"

"So does this mean," Conrad blinked at Kagome. "That Kagome is the reason the future lives in peace?"

"Of course not," Kagome blushed at that. "I only pretended to use the Shikon, remember? I only told him what was going to happen, anyway so he wouldn't keep pressing his suit about marrying me. I didn't want us crippling Tokugawa Ieyasu like _you_ guys seemed to be hell bent on doing earlier."

"But didn't you say that whatever we do here will reflect on what will happen in the future?" Conrad cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Er…"

Ken laughed at the cornered expression on Kagome's face. "He's got a point you know?"

"Shut up." Kagome pouted, digging her elbow into Ken's side, blushing all the while. "Let's go, Hacchi."

"Yes, Kagome-sama!" Hacchi replied before floating up in the air.

Ken chuckled again while clutching his side, it was a while before he could talk again as the landscape passed them by. "There's just one thing that had me puzzled, though."

"Hm?" Kagome asked, relieved to see Kouga's pained expression turning into something bordering on relief.

"What was all that talk about him following the 'Path of Love'?"

"Yeah," Wolfram piped up from beside Yuuri. "For a minute there I thought Mother was possessing you or something."

The brothers gave a shudder at the thought.

"Oh that," Kagome smiled widely. "You see, according to historical records most of Tokugawa Ieyasu's most important decisions that will secure him the shogunate would be influenced by a woman who will also bear him his heirs even though she is not his legal or first wife.

"Saigo no Tsubone– or Lady Saigo in your language— is a widow who he will be introduced to later on in his life; it was said she was a good, kindly, gently bred woman who had quite an attitude since she lived off in the countryside more than she did in the capital. It would be said that she was the most loved of all of Tokugawa Ieyasu's wives and her son by him will be his heir. They also say she was treated more as his official wife than merely a concubine and consort."

Ken's eyes widened in realization at what she was trying to say.

"So that's it?" Wolfram asked; perplexed. "Your only condition is for him to fall in love with that woman?"

"What if he chose the wrong one?" Conrad asked, interestedly.

Gwendal stayed silent but remained staring at every nuance of change on Kagome's face.

"No he won't…" At Ken's muttered words he looked up and grinned at everybody. "Because Kagome gave Takechiyo a literal clue."

"A literal clue?" even Yuuri seemed at a loss for words.

"Don't you remember what Saigo no Tsubone was called by her friends and family?"

"Erm…" Yuuri's ears turned red.

Wolfram smirked at him menacingly. "I am _so_ going to tell Gunter on you."

"Oh quiet, you!"

"They called her Oai," At Kagome's voice they all turned towards the softly smiling girl looking out at the pure landscape around them with a faint look of wistfulness in her dark ebony eyes. "In our tongue; it means 'Love'."

/*****/

Review? Pls?


	27. Chapter 27

**AN: **Mental blocks are horrible; I'm sorry for the long wait. Can anyone give me any tips as to how to counter it? ~_~;

Thank you so much to everyone who is still reading this story; I posted it as soon as I finished it and am working on the new chapter right now. I am just so busy with my new job it's not funny anymore. I come home too stressed to even write sometimes ;_; I hope this chapter is worth it.

Also, it seems I made it in time for this fic's anniversary! ^_^v So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU SHADES OF BLACK! It's been exactly two years since I've begun writing you and the both of us have shared some really nifty memories together. I still can't believe that what begun as just a mere stress reliever has grown into something this long and big and lengthy ^_^. Readers, I dedicate this chapter to all of you who have been with me since the beginning. You all honor me. (bow)

I'm too ashamed to even continue with this author's note, I'm just too ashamed I can't organize my time enough to write. So without further ado…

**Please enjoy! ^_^v**

**Chapter 27**

Miroku felt them even before they touched the ground.

The presence of four powerful youki, a pair of average ones and a seemingly fainter energy of the same nature heading towards them; he would have panicked had he not felt the presence of a deeper, much more powerful crease of holy energy seemingly embedded in all the darkness like a precious jewel in an otherwise tasteless setting.

Miroku hurried out of his shrine in the middle of the village that had once known a great massacre; the birth village of his wife, and looked up at the sky once he came to the yard. Up in the face of a brightly burning setting sun was the unmistakable form of Hacchi carrying a group on his back.

The new group landed right on his wide backyard; elevated from the rest of the village a good 8 feet of man made stone and his heart practically stopped at the sight of a smiling Kagome being assisted from Hacchi's back by a rather large and stoic looking youkai with dark gray hair. She greeted the sight of him with the same brightly warm smile she had used on him and the others for as long as she knew them.

For as long as Miroku himself could remember.

He remembered the last time he saw her, all torn up and bleeding; merely moments away from dying… and he knew he would not be able to hold back. He ran towards her as fast as he could.

"_Kagome-sama!_"

The other demons reached for their weapons but stopped when they saw Kagome step forward and accept the monk's brotherly embrace. He sighed into her hair, still as fragrant as ever with the scent of lilies of the valley fresh from an open field in summertime and a great wave of relief spilled over his heart.

She was alive and he didn't leave her out to die like he had feared all this time. The monk was so happy his hand moved before he knew it…

_SLAP_!

"_Seriously_, Miroku!" she growled at him in that oh so familiar way.

"Ah, Kagome-sama," he grinned even as he rubbed his reddening cheek. "I see you are still curved in all the right places and if I weren't—"

Metal whistled in the air all of sudden and Miroku's eyes widened and his breath halted when he found his neck being threatened by a nasty looking sword with a seething looking pair of blue eyes.

"How. _Dare_. You…" the broad demon hissed at him, each word punctuated by how close the sharp end of his sword was getting to the purple eyed man's sweating neck.

"Gwendal!"

"Brother!"

"Wait, he didn't mean it!" Miroku breathed in relief when the thick arm holding the large sword was knocked away from him by Kagome holding the demon's arm to herself to stop the impending murder. "He's just an idiotic, perverted monk! It's okay, Gwendal, I'm fine!"

Miroku tried to laugh but he choked back his feigned amusement when he saw the frozen blue eyes that told him in no uncertain terms that this demon would have no problems cutting off his head at that moment if he did anything stupid. Like he had done such mutilation before and would gladly do it again. Miroku swallowed. Hard.

"Kagome!" Miroku heard his wife cry out; she must have seen them from the graveyard placed at the back of their shrine serving as their house as well and her cry seemed to have distracted the large demon enough to lower down his weapon.

Moments later Sango was engulfing Kagome in a tight hug as well; her eyes tearing even as she held onto the sister of their hearts like a life preserving log in the middle of a stormy sea.

"I'm back," he heard the priestess whisper into her shoulder hoarsely, sincerely. "I'm sorry."

It meant nothing and everything, her apology. Only friends bonded to her so closely like they did would understand what she meant and they accepted it; they accepted her unconditionally. She was family. And the only thing that mattered was that she was safe.

She pulled away first, still smiling as she spoke. "You know, don't get me wrong, I'm loving the attention but I kinda need some help right now, guys."

Sango, still tearing up, couldn't seem to let her go. "Anything! Just say it!"

The priestess looked over to where a golden haired youkai was holding a makeshift stretcher along with a brown haired hanyou with a gentle expression on his face. But what caught their attention was the still figure of the Wolf Prince spread on that stretcher that made the couple stop and stare at the scene.

"Kouga...?" Sango gasped in disbelief.

"What _happened?"_ Miroku asked, immediately concerned after he recovered from his incredulity.

"Let's take him inside." Sango ordered, reverting to the commanding and strong voice of the woman he had loved. "Miroku, get in here!"

He instantly obeyed, giving the still glaring broad shouldered demon with the cold blue eyes a wide berth. Miroku watched from the corner of his eye how the dark haired youkai called Gwendal hovered over Kagome's back as though trying to shroud her from harm with his mere presence and his brows rose up into his hairline, impressed.

_Well, well, well_, the monk thought as they all lay Kouga beside the still warm stove of their kitchen. _Looks like you did it again, Kagome-sama…_

Sango glanced at him shortly, probably wondering what he was zoning out about before issuing her order. "Get me some water."

Miroku nodded, set aside his khakkhara and rushed towards their indoor well, a rare luxury in a household but having travelled with Kagome and hearing her talk all about 'indoor plumbing' and her endless longing for it all the time compelled him and his wife to try such a fascinating concept. They have yet to be sorry about it.

He brought a filled wooden pail and brought it over to his wife, pouring the contents into the pot she had ready on the stove and left her to work on the fire. As soon as he was sure Sango was going to be alright, he turned back towards Kagome and the others and stopped at another unusual sight.

The young man who he recognized as the one who fetched Kagome that day when they were attacked was kneeling beside Kouga right across a worried priestess with his hands over the Wolf Prince's chest. From where his hands over the other demon's was hovering, a warm blue light emitted and Miroku's eyes widened at the realization the wolf was being healed.

It was a talent unheard of in demons!

Who _was_ this person?

"That should be enough, Yuuri," the tall brown haired hanyou held Yuuri's shoulder with a large, calloused hand, smiling gently at the younger man. "You don't want to exhaust yourself."

"He's right," the large dark gray haired one who almost beheaded Miroku seconded, hands over his chest and expression stern. "His body will do the rest."

Yuuri reluctantly nodded and withdrew his hands and looked at Kagome apologetically but the young woman merely smiled. "Thanks, Yuu-chan; you're awesome."

"Yeah," the beautiful, blond youkai with them huffed, his nose up in the air but his words tinged with pride. "A wimp's got to be good for _something."_

"Who are you calling a wimp?"

"Now, now, let's not get into a fight here, Shibuya."

"Yeah, listen to him, wimp."

"Grrr…!"

"Wolfram, stop provoking him."

"Tch; you always take _his_ side, Weller! Whatever happened to blood being thicker than water?"

"Guys! Please?" Kagome hissed at them irritably. "Kouga's trying to sleep here!"

"Kagome," Miroku sidled next to his friend with Sango carefully eyeing the demons and making sure he avoided the merciless blue eyes of the demon who had pulled the sword on him earlier. "What is going on?"

The young priestess looked up at them, sighed and then stood up from the floor, her movements being closely followed by the people who came there with her. "I think it would be better if we were all sitting while I tell you the whole story, guys. Believe me, you'll need the leverage."

Again husband and wife glanced towards each other, a silent communication crossing between them for a second before Sango turned to make some tea and Miroku started ushering everyone to their receiving area.

They both had a feeling this was going to be a _long_ story.

"Hacchi." the violet eyed monk called to the cowering raccoon demon who flinched at the sound of his name coming from him.

"Yeah?"

"Please play with Mari and Maru; they're at the back with Miatsu. Watch over them for me."

Hacchi huffed. "I don't want to watch after your brats."

A glare from the corner of Miroku's eyes made Hacchi instantly flinch and suddenly become completely still...

"I-I mean I'd be _more_ than happy to take care of them for you!" Hacchi stuttered all of a sudden, smiling nervously as he did so. "I'll make sure to keep them safe since you asked so nicely, M-Miroku...!"

"Really?" Miroku asked, his scowl disappearing and was now replaced by a bright smile. "Thanks, Hacchi. I'll be counting on you."

He led everyone in a room where he always received close guests and everyone followed.

They all left the sleeping Kouga alone.

/*****/

"Halt."

The cluster of monks following the wide set man stopped immediately at the word from their leader; bells and khakkhara jingling a melodic chime as response to the sudden disappearance of movement.

One of the younger monks; a new addition, stepped close to their leader. "Is there something wrong, Ungai-sama?"

The older monk turned, his cold, fiercely dark eyes roamed as his covered head tried to carefully gauge the direction of this odd feeling pushing against his senses in the middle of the growing darkness of the night around them. "I feel the presence of the impure but…"

"But?"

"…It is much more complicated than that."

"How astute."

The broad monk held up his staff defensively and looked up a tree that was directly behind him to see a beautiful woman in miko garb sitting comfortably on a thick branch even as a group of soul stealers wrapped around her and continued supplying her with the souls she needed to survive. The light coming from the creatures lent her an ethereal brightness that ironically did not add any life to her pale pallor. It was as though she were in her young, glowing state; trapped into the throes of immortality. With eyes cursed to forever hold the sadness of one that was dead and can never live again.

All his other followers— a collection of monks heavily armed with sutras and prayer beads —followed suit and positioned themselves to attack and defend around him.

Ungai fought to remain calm. "You… The impure undead. Prepare to be purified."

"I would not do that if I were you," she replied coolly; her expression remaining neutral as she spoke. "Despite being undead I am holy."

"Nonsense!" Ungai denied heavily in a cold voice. "How could any holy being allow herself such a fate as that of the undead?"

"Fate is a cruel thing," she answered in her cold voice still looking down at them. "It is also something I do not get to choose."

"Silence! I do not make it a business to speak with the tainted! HAH!" Ungai waved his staff and a wave of purifying energy came at the woman and his followers relaxed at the sight. "REST IN PEACE, PITIABLE SOUL!"

Ungai was strong and they knew this. This was one of the reasons why they all respected and followed him all through his pilgrimage. Despite the incident with one particular daiyoukai a few years back when he attempted to save that poor little girl he had kept a flawless record of purifications that was currently undefeated. It had been increasing recently, this record; and had garnered him somewhat of a savage reputation amongst demons far and wide. So far, demons he had come across knew better than to take him lightly and ghosts gave him a wide berth.

But the woman in the tree didn't move. She merely kept on gazing at them with indifferent eyes until Ungai's attack reached her. But they were shocked when, instead of purifying her, their leader's power merely dispersed upon contact with a great pink barrier, turning it into so many pieces of glittering light.

Ungai's followers gaped while he himself seethed in surprise.

"What is that?"

"It cannot be!"

"That power is…"

Ungai fell silent and assessed the enemy with cold eyes. He was a powerful monk and his ideals had made him an even stronger person. He had garnered respect and followers due to these facts and the fact that he was a fairly intelligent man. So when he spoke again, he did so with a greater measure of calm, trying to assess what this being wanted from him and how he could defeat it. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Her hair floated around her like silk even as bits and pieces of what remained of his sutra turned into glittering dust fell around her and she stayed still until she answered. "My name is Kikyou."

"Kikyou…?"

Ungai's eyes widened a moment before narrowed again. He knew of the dead priestess and her history. Her death had been a reference to all that demons and hanyou can never be trusted in the sect he was included in. "The former priestess of the Shikon no Tama?"

"I am surprised it took you too long to recognize me," she kept on gazing at him indifferently, her ghostly minions floating about in their chore. "With such lack of knowledge I am surprised you have any holy powers at all."

"_Enough_!" Ungai seethed, preparing another sutra. "_Die_, tainted one; and may you find peace in your afterlife!"

"You are looking for the… _current_ Shikon no Miko, are you not?"

Ungai stopped and fell silent. He had heard of the legendary Shikon no Tama— what sort of monk would he be if he hadn't? In fact, he had been searching for the current priestess of the jewel to offer his venerable protection. He had heard of some disquieting rumors, though, about her being deeply and favorably involved with demons. He had heard that some of the villages he had visited and had preached in had confronted her because she kept company with a hanyou and a fox kit she called a son. He had been searching for her in order to exorcise the brainwashing she must have gone through in the hands of those demons.

"…What of it?"

Kikyou smiled coldly. "I know where she is."

"What did you say?" the youngest monk in his group yelled at her.

"She is currently at a former demon slayer village with a former monk and his wife who is a local of that area," Kikyou continued, ignoring the others and meeting Ungai's eyes. "She had just saved the wolf prince Kouga from his prison at Sunpu Castle and is currently traveling with hanyou and daiyoukai in her group. If you leave tonight and head straight upon the road to your left you would be able to reach them tomorrow afternoon before they leave the village again."

Despite her impurity he could see no lie in her words and even if she were lying it would be worth the risk looking. The Shikon no Tama is a valuable object and if the Shikon no Miko truly is consorting with demons then would it not be better for someone with a purer soul take over custody of the jewel? However… what was this ghost's purpose? Should he be concerned? Her past was suspect and she may have ulterior motives for wanting him to do the dirty work. Especially with what he had heard about the current priestess and this being's connection?

Ungai narrowed his eyes at Kikyou before finally speaking. "Why are you telling us about this? Isn't she your reincarnation? Why do you not tell her to act properly as a priestess and purify those youkai? Have you not taught her anything about her duties as priestess of the Shikon no Tama?"

"What I do or not do is none of your concern, monk," She told him frostily. "What you need concern yourself with is the accomplishment of your goal, is it not? And that is to purify the world of youkai."

"How dare you speak to Ungai-sama like that?"

Instead of answering, Kikyou was lifted off the branch of the tree by her Soul Stealers and floated in the air with unwelcoming dark eyes hard and empty just like the ghost that she was. "I have told you this information to aid you; it is up to you what you wish to do with this information. You have all to gain and nothing to lose… I leave it to your discretion.

"And take this with you as well," she threw a string of white beads at his feet; they glowed even in the darkness of the growing night. "Put it around the neck of her hanyou companion and it will show you just what kind of creatures she chooses to side with. Then your eyes will open and you will be able to decide whether or not she is worthy of keeping the Shikon no Tama."

"Wait!" a priestess shot a purifying arrow at her but when it hit Kikyou, her form merely turned into a paper effigy that floated down at Ungai's feet.

A shikigami. She was gone.

"What do we do now, Ungai-sama?"

"You can't possibly be contemplating on going to that village, are you, Ungai-sama?"

"It might be a trap!"

The leading monk frowned at the paper effigy on the ground and stayed silent.

There was no doubt that tainted creature he refused to call a priestess had a malicious aura but what if it was true? He needed to go and make sure demons are exterminated everywhere and he will not rest until he saw the end of each and every one. The Shikon no Tama may help him in his quest.

He had heard that the new priestess of the Shikon no Tama was heavily untrained so it may be no problem overpowering her.

He would talk to her. And if it was apparent that she was too far gone to be saved from the lies of demons then he would just have to take the Shikon no Tama and protect it himself. After that incident with the daiyoukai and that little girl four years ago he had improved his skills and sutras greatly; he was confident that he would be able to handle these demons.

With that he nodded and decided.

"Come," he told the others before walking away towards a different direction. "We shall go to that demon slayer's village."

"B-but, Ungai-sama!"

"Why…?"

Ungai did not even spare them a glance. "The Shikon no Miko may need our help if she is being held against her will by those demons that Tainted One described. As representatives of justice it is our duty to save her. We must go."

Admiration practically sparkled in his follower's eyes as they interpreted just how pure his intentions are so, without further adieu, they followed him.

/*****/

Kikyou opened her eyes and instead of the group of monks she had seduced with the opportunity to slay some demons and acquire the priestess of the Shikon no Tama she only saw the darkening vastness of the forest surrounding Mt. Fuji. The indigo twilight was being chased away by the twinkling stars that would soon be taking over the sky until the sun resumes its throne in the sky once more.

The chill breeze of the mountain air made her miko robes flow in the wind but she did not feel the cold. She _was_ the cold. And she will continue to feel no warmth until her soul was complete once more.

"Rrrrrrr..."

She glanced behind her to see a wild Inuyasha guarding her ferociously just as she had always wished; still chained by the charm of the new beads she had woven for him. She gave the hanyou a slight smile, rarely seen by anyone living or dead. She walked over to him and lightly ran her index finger down his striped cheek.

"Kagome will be receiving a few unwelcome visitors," she whispered to him despite knowing she would get no intelligible response from him. "This is good. This way we could be sure she would have less companions when she shows herself here. Hopefully, once that hanyou with the dark hair puts on those beads he would be so out of control that Kagome would have no other option but to kill him. Her despair would be her downfall and I will be able to defeat her easily.

"That monk is a purist; he would never forgive anyone who would harbor demons. And judging from his sutra, he is quite strong. Too bad I would not be able to see her and her demons squirm."

The undead priestess knelt down despite the crouching hanyou and hugged him lovingly around the neck, gently resting her cheek against his red clad chest. "Soon, my love; I will be able to feel your warmth once again. Soon you will need not be confused any longer and your heart will no longer be torn apart. And then you will see that you belong to me..."

She lifted her face from his heart and kissed his growling lips lovingly. "Always and forever... you will _always_ belong to me..."

All Inuyasha gave her was gurgling snarl but Kikyou merely continued to rest her cheek against chest, listening to the wild beat of his heart; never giving mind to the mental torture her beloved was going through under the spell she had placed on him.

All she knew was that they will be happy. No matter what, they will be happy...

/*****/

"Please, sit here; make yourselves comfortable."

In a matter of moments, they found themselves settled on the clean tatami floors of a small room facing what seemed to be a simple koi garden beyond an open pair of shouji doors and Miroku sat across from all of them with Kagome facing him and the rest at her back except for Ken and Yuuri who were both kneeling on either side of her.

Gwendal assessed the monk again with hard eyes.

He had tried to size up the man who had hugged Kagome the moment they had touched the ground and it was only because he knew Kagome would be displeased if the monk died that he had managed to stop himself from cutting the human's arms off. This unreasonable anger boiled down and cooled slightly when he realized this was a married man and he regarded Kagome in a platonic way. Slightly. Despite his... unique way of showing it.

Gwendal inwardly scowled at such illogical thinking knowing he needed to re-master the art of self control once more. He wanted to protect her and make her see him as a potential focus of her heart; not earn her hate by acting like a rabid animal striking at everyone who dared touch her. This was not like him at all. He needed to do some thinking.

His gaze slid towards Kagome like a magnet drawn to the North. Being seated behind the Great Sage who was at her left he could see the smooth curve of her cheek quite clearly, framed by the bright flowers and bamboo trees and the koi pond with the sound of the piece of bamboo emptying and filling water into the pond made it all very soothing; very serene. Just like her. And while he admired her beauty he could not help but think how terribly appropriate her presence was in a setting such as this. Somehow the homely, simple elegance of this setting suited her perfectly, bringing out the most beautiful facets of her. The Mazoku lord wondered if he could commission such a garden in his own castle. Perhaps he could use it as an excuse to invite her to von Voltaire castle so he could show her he would be an excellent provider? His heart stuttered excitedly at the thought.

"Here, have some tea."

Surprised, he looked up and saw a steaming earthen clay cup being held up to his nose by a smiling Sango. Ashamed that he had been so distracted, he accepted the offering with a nod. Did she see him staring at Kagome? Shinou save him. "Thank you."

Sango nodded to him with a (slightly wider?) smile before handing out tea to the others, Kagome jumping up to her feet to help her distribute the beverage. Her graceful movements drawing his gaze like someone bewitched.

"Are you alright, Gwendal?"

Conrad's whispered question brought him up short and he shot his younger brother a look from the corner of his eye, trying to hide his dazed expression.

"Of course." he replied in an even tone, trying not to sound upset that Conrad caught him in such a state. Seriously, he had been a veteran of many battles; why was he being caught off guard so much? "Just curious about this 'monk'."

The half Mazoku frowned at him and furrowed his brow as though not sure whether to believe him but then sighed a bit after a while before smiling wryly and answering. "You as well? I can't blame you; he reminds me of His Highness."

Now that he thought about it, Gwendal could see his brother's point. There was a calculation, a 'look' in the purple eyed man's eyes that gave him pause. Deciding this would be a good time to take his senses back he used the man as a focal point to keep himself from being distracted by Kagome. He would know what kind of man had been taking care of her all this time and see if he learn more of the dark haired priestess from him. About the things that would please her and the things that can make her happy.

"Start from the beginning," Sango ordered as soon as she knelt down beside Miroku after the tea and rice cakes were all distributed. "I want to know everything that happened after Miroku last saw you."

This request seemed to give Kagome pause but then she took a deep breath and started speaking.

She told them everything and Gwendal listened, comforting himself silently with the gentle cadence of her voice. From the moment Yuuri found her half dead after the demons practically tore through her body to get to the Shikon no Tama to being forced to stay in Shin Makoku; the Ten Nobles; the dagger; Hube and Yozak; Cabalcade— Gwendal felt himself heat up at the memory of that place.

The incident at Ichri, Adelbert, Alford and Rolf; the near resurrection of Sousho; her return to Shin Makoku highlighted by Shippou's and Kirara's presence.

Here, Yuuri interjected and told them how he had gotten the little kit and fire cat. Gwendal noted the wide eyed stare of both Sango and Miroku when they heard about the two demons.

Kagome picked up on the story of Elu's birthday party, the reappearance of the missing dagger and her near death experience.

Gwendal found his fists clenching at the memory of almost losing her right in front of him. The thought made him feel numb and cold. He mentally swore to himself that she would never have to go through such an ordeal again.

And he wouldn't have a reason to think about giving up on living.

She was finishing up the story with what happened at Sunpu Castle when the dark haired Mazoku lord managed to compose himself again and took a look to see Miroku and his wife holding on to each other with similar looks of alarm and disbelief on their faces.

Silence and then...

"She did WHAT?"

The sight of the woman called Sango exploding like a fiery geyser was quite the spectacle. It managed to even make the Mazoku lord blink up at her in surprise and be made wary by the look of murder in her dark eyes.

"Sango, my love, calm down now—"

"How could I _possibly_ calm down after that, Miroku?" she screamed at the monk in rage, rising up on her knees, her hands fisted tightly. "This is one more time on top of a lot of _other_ times and all Inuyasha did was stand back about it! _Why didn't you tell me_?"

_"Because,"_ Miroku held his wife's fist, stroking it with his thumb in an attempt to loosen them and calm her down. "If I told you, childbirth or no, you would have been after his head and cleaved it off and hung it on a tree somewhere already."

"And that's a bad thing _how?"_

Miroku grinned roguishly at her. "I love it when you get all bloodthirsty like this."

She blushed but thumped him lightly on the shoulder even as she began to settle back down beside her husband. "Miroku, this isn't a joking matter!"

"I agree." the solemn quality of the usually laid back monk seemed to have completely sobered his enraged wife faster than a bucket of cold water and it garnered a measure of respect from Gwendal that he would be able to tame such a creature as this woman with just those two words. "Kagome-sama, if what you had just told us is true then chances are Inuyasha has fallen for Kikyou's spell."

"Yes," Kagome nodded once with a sad, wry smile. "I saw it as a string of white stones around his neck. It's binding his reason and his human side."

Miroku nodded back, his face still serious. "As opposed to the subjugation necklace you placed around his neck, that necklace must have been designed to make him lose all control of everything making him human… Nothing more than a mindless animal."

Gwendal stopped at that. So this was all the result of a spell made by that woman? He could not imagine losing all reason like that."

"And taking the subjugation beads from around his neck severs all control I have over him," Kagome added. "She planned this well."

"Excuse me," Gwendal and everyone else looked towards Conrad who seemed intrigued by the subject at hand. "What do you mean by him losing his humanity?"

Miroku looked at Kagome who brightened in realization. "Conrad is also hanyou. He had a human father."

"I see," Miroku smiled back at the curious brown haired man before answering. "Inuyasha had a human mother. Because of his dual nature he always runs the risk of losing his humanity like that whenever he experiences complete bloodlust and giving in to the demon side of him. And because he is not pure demon he doesn't have the ability to control it if he becomes overwhelmed by bloodlust. He becomes nothing more than a menace to society who knows nothing else but killing until he finally gets killed by something stronger than himself. That's why his demon father left behind Tessaiga. Using that sword to attack in battle keeps Inuyasha from losing control and his reason."

Conrad seemed shocked by this and his brows met. "How can that be? I have been half Mazoku all my life but I have never experienced such a thing even when I am in the heat of battle."

Miroku blinked back at him. "I don't know how it is in your world but here hanyou- especially those who had powerful demons in their parentage- always run that risk. It has always been this way."

Gwendal vaguely remembered Kagome mentioning that when she met Kikyou back in Kaede's village and the story about how Kagome had pulled this sword out of the tomb of Inuyasha's father.

"It's opposite when the new moon comes," Sango adds in, curious about Conrad now. "All hanyou in this place loses their demonic powers during a certain time; it's always a heavily guarded secret. For Inuyasha it's the new moon when he becomes all human. Do you also have those kinds of moments, Conrad-sama?"

Gwendal watched his younger brother slump back in his haunches in shock. "...No."

The Mazoku lord could not help but compare just how different this place was to Shin Makoku where both full and half Mazoku could freely live their lives whether or not they can use maryoukou. He felt the budding of reluctant pity for Inuyasha. One glance at Kagome and that pity was smashed out of existence, though.

Miroku looked pained. "We need to get to Inuyasha. We need to settle this with Kikyou."

Kagome nodded, her eyes on the tatami floor. "I know. I'll be meeting them the day after tomorrow on Mt. Fuji. I'll settle things there."

Miroku looked up at her in surprise. "You've agreed?"

"I had to."

The monk stopped, furrowed his brows before nodding. "We'll come with you."

"No."

Sango looked a little hurt and stricken. "Why?"

"I'm sorry, Sango, but you just gave birth; it's a wonder how you can even stand and walk around like this," Kagome looked her in the eye with resolution written all over her face. "I'm not going to put you in danger like that."

"Then _I'll_ go." Miroku said.

"You can't."

The monk looked taken aback. "Why not?"

"Without Kohaku here you'll be leaving the village open to attack; what if something happens?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes and Gwendal could practically hear the cogs in his mind turning and could practically tell when he had reached the correct conclusion. "She threatened you with our safety, didn't she?"

Kagome seemed to look taken aback for a moment before looking down. She stayed silent.

Sango looked like she was going to explode again. "What did she tell you, Kagome?"

Kagome didn't answer and Gwendal was tempted to speak for her but he held back. What she wanted to tell these people was her business and he respected her enough not to interfere.

"She told Kagome that she would send Inuyasha himself to attack this village if she failed to come and just to make things difficult, she also threatened to send off another horde of demons to attack Kaede's village. Either way, it would be hard for Kagome to defend both of you at the same time."

Everyone looked at the Great Sage in surprise and Gwendal raised his brows at the bespectacled soukoku ruler. No one had been expecting him to say anything at all.

Sango's anger, however, sparked again at his statement. "How. DARE. _SHE!"_

"I'll take care of it." Kagome announced before the female demon slayer could unleash the full force of her anger. "I'll put a stop to everything once and for all. No one else needs to get involved."

"You can't do this alone."

"She won't be alone." It was Yuuri and all eyes whent over to him this time. The two dark haired young men knelt on each of a surprised Kagome's sides as though fencing her between them in a protective circle of power merely represented by their physical bodies but Gwendal could feel their maryouko forming an invisible barrier around her. The Mazoku general smirked as he noted just how loved Kagome was by her brother and friend. "We won't allow it."

Gwendal smirked in satisfaction and remained relaxed in his spot.

Their response made Sango calm down and blink at all of them. "Kagome, who are these people?"

"Oh! Sorry, I kinda forgot!" she started introducing everyone to the pair. "Sango, Miroku, this is my twin brother Yuuri; this is one of our closest friends, Murata Ken. These three are also friends of ours; Gwendal, Conrad and Wolfram. They're brothers and they come from another world."

"Half brothers." Wolfram corrected, glaring at Conrad.

Miroku and Sango blinked at that response before looking at each other.

"My dear, where have we heard that before?"

"Kami, Kagome," Sango shook her head at her friend. "Seriously? Finding people like these even in another world?"

Kagome blinked and scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it..."

The three brothers blinked at them in confusion.

Miroku shook his head at this. "Anyway, what exactly are you planning, Kagome?"

She met his violet eyes without flinching. "I told you, I'll be going to Mt. Fuji."

"At what cost?"

"At _any_ cost."

Miroku's frown turned darker. "Are you going to use the wish?"

She closed her eyes and turned away. "I will use anything that is necessary to end this."

"But, Kagome—"

"You and Sango had finally gotten what you guys wanted," she roamed warm ebony eyes over the sight of her friends still holding hands with each other and the two unconsciously sidled closer to each other unconsciously. "Don't you think it's about time he got what _he_ wanted as well?"

Gwendal frowned at this statement but blinked when he saw the grim look that passed on the Great Sage's face.

"That's all good and fine," Sango returned in a solemn but intense voice. "But what about what _you_ want?"

The smile the priestess gave the two humans, although seemingly brighter and warmer than any son provoked a deep pain in the heart of every single person looking at it at that moment. It was the smile of a person in the middle of a breaking heart. "What I want is for you guys to be happy."

Miroku and Sango's faces softened and were probably about to say something but was interrupted by a sudden cacophony of noise from the direction of the doorway and the whirling of two colorfully dressed tornadoes blowing through the door and plopping right onto Kagome's lap. A panting Hacchi followed them carrying a little bundle in a printed blue kimono, looking ready to pass out.

"Kagome-sama! Kagome-sama!" Two pairs of violet eyes looked up at her in adoration. "We missed you, Kagome-sama!"

Kagome laughed as she gave both identical girls a hug. "I missed you too, Mari-chan, Maru-chan."

"Ne, ne," Mari jumped up and down excitedly in her embrace. "Play with us, Kagome-sama!"

"Yes, it's been so long!" Maru looked at her with pleading eyes that would melt any cold hearted person into a puddle of goo. "Please say yes!"

Kagome looked up helplessly at Miroku. "Okay this is _not_ fair! How _dare_ you pass down your puppy dog eyes to them, Miroku? This is just plain evil! How am I supposed to say no to them now?"

Miroku preened proudly at the face she was making. "Can I help it if it runs in the family?"

"Father!" Mari suddenly scowled up at the former monk stomping a self righteous little foot. "Mother said no flirting with other women!"

"How could you, Father?" Maru finished with all the hurt of a two year old feminist.

Miroku looked like he wanted to faint. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I repent! Buddha, I repent!"

Sango crossed her arms and looked smugly back at her husband while Hacchi went up to her practically shoving the baby boy in her arms. "Here! I'm done!"

And promptly went out the door before anyone could stop him.

Kagome tried to hold back her laughter. "Looks like they have you outnumbered, Miroku."

Miroku pouted at her, ignoring Hacchi's abrupt exit. "You just wait until my little Miatsu here is all grown up; between the both of us all the ladies in the world will crawl at our feet; begging us to bear our children!"

"Oh please no," Sango begged. "One of you is more than enough already."

The former monk gasped in mock hurt. "You wound me, my dear!"

"So you're naming him after your grandfather?" Kagome asked, now kneeling up and glancing at the little bundle in Sango's arms with a look of longing. Forgetting, albeit momentarily, the gravity of the situation they were discussing just moments before.

"It seemed like the best thing to do," Miroku looked into his son's innocent face with a love only a father could hold for his child. "Miatsu is a good, strong name. Besides, Sango says naming him after Uncle Musou was out of the question."

"You bet it is!" Sango hissed at the former monk, her eyes splitting impressively like Kirara's.

Kagome laughed at the usual banter between husband and wife and hoped to God they would never change. As she watched them bicker, she couldn't deny the heavy, aching feeling of longing in her chest. Envy crept inside her heart for the love so obviously shared between Sango and Miroku and she felt herself swallowing back tears as the hunger to experience such love for herself swamped her in its burning hold.

Gwendal saw all this and despite his fascination at the cuteness of the children he could not help but stay attuned to Kagome's feelings. Her longing was written all over her face and he was so overwhelmed with the desire to comfort her that he reacted before he could stop himself.

"Kagome?"

She startled when she felt a baritone vibrate in her ear and a hand landing on her shoulder. She turned and saw a slightly surprised Gwendal looking back at her. His worry warmed her heart like a warm blanket in the middle of an intense winder.

"Sorry," she tried to smile brightly. "I'm alright."

Sango, however, caught this and even as her trained, warrior's eyes watched out for the demons before her, her eyes as a woman couldn't help but catch the tenderness in the odd blue eyes of the tall, broad demon lord as he looked at the girl she considered a sister. Giving the other demons a once over, she saw nothing as close to the expression on any of their faces although the brown haired hanyou seemed to be looking quite anxious at this sudden display from the older demon. The demon slayer couldn't decide whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. She shared another look with her husband and saw they were thinking the same thing and he nodded, indicating that they should reserve their opinions for later.

"Kagome-sama?" timid little Maru snuggled up to her, a thumb in her mouth as she glanced over at the guests that came with their honorary aunt. "Who are they?"

"Oh I'm sorry; let me introduce you," Kagome gestured to Yuuri and Ken who now had smiles on their faces. "This is my brother Yuuri and our friend Ken."

"Hi."

"Nice to meet you."

"And these are more of our friends," Kagome gestured to Gwendal and his brothers. "This is Gwendal, and these are his brothers, Conrad and the prettiest one is Wolfram."

The girls looked on at these new strangers with fascination and promptly started crowding around Wolfram who scowled arrogantly at the attention despite the blush at the young woman's compliment. "Ohhh... Mister, Mister, you have such pretty eyes!"

"And look at his hair, Mari!" Maru babbled from Wolfram's other side. "So pretty! It's as pretty as Inuyasha-sama's!"

At the mention of their favorite playmate, Mari turned towards Kagome again. "Where is Inuyasha-sama, Kagome-sama? He hasn't been here in a while; doesn't he want to play with us anymore?"

"Of course he does," the priestess quickly assured her. "He's just... busy at the moment."

"INUYASHA? WHERE IS THAT MUTT FACED BASTARD?"

The familiar yell coming from the kitchen made the adults shoot to their feet and before anyone could blink, Kagome was sprinting out of the room and back to the kitchen. Gwendal was close behind her, gaining speed and as soon as she stopped in the kitchen's threshold he took his position in front of her, drawing his sword against any threat that might befall her. He stopped short at the sight that met them there for a moment.

There, beside the warm stove was a limping Wolf Prince struggling to straighten up; fighting against his wounds and the blood loss he had been suffering from a moment ago. His eyes reminded the Mazoku lord of a rabid animal. His body automatically tensed in anticipation of a fight.

"Kouga!"

Gwendal looked on in surprise as Kagome moved from behind him and began to run towards the wounded demon before he could stop her.

The Mazoku lord noted how the wild look on the Wolf Prince's eyes melted when he caught sight of the dark haired priestess before it melted into recognition and all strength left his legs almost making him fall to the ground. Kagome immediately caught him in her arms.

"Kouga, what are you _doing_?" she half yelled in concern as she struggled to make him stay upright. "You've lost too much blood; lie down!"

Her words seemed to have broken whatever strength of will the prince was using to stand up because his knees shook and he started to sink to the floor, taking her down there with him. It wouldn't have been too bad… if it weren't for the fact that he was taking Kagome down there with him and his face was buried in her hair.

Gwendal tightened his grip on his sword at the sudden explosion of envy the scene aroused in him but when he noticed the children from the corner of his eye he did his best to reign in the urge to chop this prince's head off.

"Kagome…" he heard Kouga whisper even as Kagome practically dragged him back to the futon Sango had set out for the wolf prince in the kitchen. "Kagome…"

"Shh…" she told him in a half gentle, half scolding manner. "It's going to be fine."

"I'm sorry…" he insisted. "I tried to stop him—"

"I know." Kagome pulled the blanket over him and smoothed it out tenderly.

"His blood beast was out—"

"I know."

"And that woman… She—"

"I know. Ginta and Hakkaku told me."

"Ginta! Hakkaku!" he started sitting up again at the mention of his friends. "How are they?"

"They're fine; they're with the pack; Ayame's watching over them." She told him as she pushed him back down again. "By the way, Kouga, you owe me one. Ayame almost started a war because of you."

Kouga blinked up at her. "Is that why I'm not in that dungeon anymore? You got me out, Kagome?"

"Uh oh…" Gwendal flicked his glance at Miroku who made the sound, wondering what that meant.

"Not just me," Kagome protested, sweat dropping for some reason. "My brother and friends also—"

"Kagome!" Kouga threw himself at her, ignoring his wounds and weakness in his happiness to envelope her in a hug. "I knew it! This is why you are more than worthy of being my mate!"

Gwendal stiffened. What was it that Kohaku said about mating?

_I think the human equivalent of it is 'wife'…_

The Mazoku lord started seeing red.

"Um… Kouga?" Miroku carefully edged towards the wolf prince, occasionally flicking a wary glance at Gwendal's coldly silent form. "I think you better let go of Kagome right now."

"Eh?" the wolf demon looked up at the monk with confusion. "What are you talking about, monk? Why shouldn't I be able to hold my woman?"

The dark aura around Gwendal seemed to flare out of control.

Miroku panicked, understanding that he needed to calm things down or he and his family would be sleeping under the stars tonight.

"Ahahaha you are such a joker, Kouga-sama!" Miroku laughed as he discreetly took Kagome by the shoulders and set her behind him away from Kouga carefully. "Here, why don't you just rest for a bit; I'm sure you're tired."

Sango was moving around the kitchen and as soon as Miroku was done talking, she was beside the Wolf prince with a bowl of raw chicken meat ready. "Please eat, Kouga-sama, you will need your strength."

"Oh! Thank you!" Kouga dug into the food without further adieu; sniffing at it heavily before devouring it.

Kagome's eyebrow twitched but eventually sighed and started speaking again. "Kouga, I'm going to say it again until I get it through that head of yours; I. Am. Not. Your. Woman. I never will."

At her words Gwendal calmed down and he snuck a longing glance at her before glaring back at the wolf who had tried to stake a claim on the priestess as though she were a piece of land to be conquered.

"After I defeat that mutt faced freak I'll prove to you that I am worthy." Kouga replied stubbornly with a bloody mouth making Gwendal and the others cringe in disgust.

Kagome sighed heavily and began to walk away. "Whatever. Finish what you're eating and rest. Ayame will come here sometime tomorrow to take you back to the pack."

Kouga stared at her for a while before putting down his food and sitting up a little bit straighter. "You're going to him, aren't you?"

Kagome stopped and looked back at him. "Of course."

Kouga scowled. "Then I'm going with you."

"How?" Kagome gestured towards him. "You're not fit to fight."

"Then wait until I am."

"Not gonna happen."

"Why not?"

"Because Kikyou gave me a time limit; I need to meet with them the day after tomorrow and settle this once and for all."

"Then take the pack with you," Kouga offered. "As my future mate they will follow you to the ends of the-"

"Kouga, have you been listening to me at all?" Kagome yelled now, her hands on her hips and glaring at the now cringing wolf demon. "I am _not-_ and let me repeat that just so I can drill it in your head- _not_ marrying you. This is the problem with you; you just keep hearing the things you want to hear!"

Gwendal relished the look of hurt, bewildered on the Wolf prince's face. "Why not? Is it because of Inuyasha? You know he can never be yours either-"

"I _know_ that," she cut him off, closing her eyes as though in pain and the Mazoku general wanted nothing more than to skewer the insolent little fool for hurting her. "You already know that I _know_ that..."

Kouga swallowed hard, his eyes looking at the floor for what seemed like forever and closing them before speaking again. "I love you."

Gwendal's hand tightened over the hilt of his sword, unaware how his brothers kept on glancing at him warily since he started emitting copious amounts of murderous intent the moment Kouga made his claim on Kagome.

"Kouga—"

"I love you so much," he kept on speaking. "Ever since I met you, you added meaning to my life. Your strength, your beauty, your kindness... everything about you speaks to me in ways I cannot find in Ayame. Kagome... I allowed you to be with Inuyasha because I thought he would choose you and I knew that you loved him. I wanted you to be happy despite the fact that I can do that myself. But he doesn't want you so you should stop trying to be with someone who has already abandoned—"

"Okay, I think you better shut up now."

Surprised, everyone looked up and saw Yuuri putting his arms around a weary Kagome. The Maou was glaring down at the Wolf prince as he hugged his motionless sister.

Kouga scowled up at him and growled. Conrad was instantly in front of the male soukoku.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are to put your arms around _my_ woman?"

"She's _my_ sister, that's why." Yuuri snapped back, his ebony eyes burning and taking Kouga aback. "And who the heck do you think _you_ are trying to force yourself where you're not wanted?"

No answer. Gwendal didn't think he could be more proud of his Maou than he did at that moment in time.

"Can't you see she's already in pain?" Yuuri continued at the silence that ensued. "If you really love her then you would have seen that you're hurting her and backed off but you just had to rub salt in her wounds right? Well you know what? Even if she does want to be with you I'm forbidding it! Do you understand? My sister deserves someone who would listen to her when she talks and not disregard her words. She deserves someone who would treat her with the respect she deserves and not some sort of prize for you to take just like that whether or not she wants it.

"You want to make her happy? Well then listen to your own advice," Yuuri began ushering Kagome out of the kitchen followed by Miroku and his family. "Stop wanting to be with someone who doesn't want to be with you. Ass."

The Great Sage pushed his glasses up his nose and shot Kouga a bright smile that somehow seemed sarcastic before following the twins out of the room followed by Wolfram who spared the wolf demon a last glare and Conrad gave him a quiet look of indifference before following his brothers and his king.

Gwendal also shot the demon prince a cold stare but the empty look in the wounded demon's blue eyes made him stop short.

If he failed to make Kagome want him, would he also sport such an empty look on his face? Would he also suffer failure and rejection such as this; doomed to an eternity of longing and want? Was there really a chance for Kagome to love him...?

He turned away and decided it didn't matter.

His Majesty was right; no one had the right to force Kagome's heart to feel anything. And the Mazoku general decided he would suffer through the loneliness, through the longing and the wanting if it meant Kagome was happy. He would not repeat the Wolf prince's mistake.

He will never make her suffer because of his love for her.

Never.

/*****/

Conrad was troubled and he couldn't rest.

Lying on a futon with his youngest brother; his Maou and his Sage, thoughts of his hidden mission and his older brother's strange behavior cut through his consciousness like a knife and it was hard to keep still. He couldn't forget the icy way Gwendal's eyes glared down at Kouga as the wolf prince declared ownership of Kagome. It reminded the half Mazoku knight of the times of the war when his brother would come home from battle drenched in the blood of enemies and friends alike. Back then he remembered the Mazoku lord holing up in his office refusing to see anyone as he worked there for days on end before finally joining them again for meals.

It was a look that had frightened Conrad a bit back when he was younger. Too young to understand what war did to soul. How it would break you apart and skewer any sort of tender goodness in your heart. It was later on after he had experienced war for himself that he finally understood why his older brother needed to cleanse his soul again after such skirmishes even if it was with knitting stuffed animals.

It was a desperate way to wash away the guilt of taking a human life after enjoying it so much instinctively.

"Wolfram…?"

"…What?"

"You awake…?"

"…Are you stupid, Weller? Would I be answering you like this if I were asleep?"

Chuckle. "Sorry."

Sigh. "What do you want?"

Conrad glanced at Wolfram's back turned away from him while the blond lay beside him on a futon and smiled fondly at his younger brother's brash behavior before directing his eyes up at the ceiling again and speaking in a low voice so as not to wake up Yuuri and the Great Sage sleeping across from them in the same room. "Have you noticed something strange about… Gwendal?"

Only Conrad's honed senses felt the stiffness that suddenly came over his younger brother's form. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure but he's not acting like himself since we met up with that woman Kikyou and Inuyasha."

Wolfram was so quiet for a while that Conrad almost thought he had fallen asleep. At least that would have been what he thought if it weren't for the fact that the blond was still lying there as stiff as a log.

"I don't think I follow," Wolfram scowled, burying under his blankets for comfort as though the action would hide him further from the half Mazoku knight. "Nothing is wrong with how Big Brother is acting."

"Oh?" Conrad raised his brows at this response. "He seems to be getting too overprotective of Kagome-sama, don't you think?"

"He's overprotective over all of us; you know how he is," Wolfram snarked quietly back at him. "Kagome needs his protection right now so of course he was going to give it to her!"

Conrad was quiet for a while before he sighed heavily. "I suppose your right. Where is he, by the way?"

Wolfram quietly sighed in relief before answering in a much more mellow voice. "He said he was going to stand guard."

"Oh," At that response, Conrad smiled. It was typical of Gwendal not to cut any corners when it came to his duties and his family's safety. Conrad knew all too well about his older brother's caring nature. "Then I can relax then. Goodnight, Wolfram."

Wolfram grunted in response as Conrad closed his eyes and rested; never noticing the troubled look in his youngest brother's eyes still hidden away under the blankets.

/*****/

"So…?"

Kagome looked back at Sango as she submerged into the wide, hot tub of water Miroku had prepared for the both of them long after the children had been fed and put to bed.

"So… what?"

"What's going on with you and that tall demon with the long dark hair?"

Immediately, Kagome was covered head to toe with a blush. "W-what are you talking about, Sango? Gwendal's just a good friend!"

"A good friend who's making really pretty eyes at you~" The female demon slayer continued teasing the younger woman with a smirk.

"Seriously, he's a gentleman and a great guy; don't talk about him like that."

"He's nice looking though."

"In case you haven't noticed; _all_ of them are 'nice' looking," Kagome rolled her eyes at her old friend's teasing. "They're all _always_ 'nice' looking."

"That last blow from your brother probably woke Kouga up," Sango commented. "I feel bad for him, but he needed to hear that."

"Yeah," Kagome whispered. "I feel bad about it too but I can't be what he wanted me to be, Sango. He just sees me as an ideal, not what he really wants; and I don't think I can live another lifetime of playing pretend with my heart."

"Don't worry," Sango assured her compassionately. "Now that the alpha in your pack has rejected him, Kouga has no right to claim you anymore."

"Plus the fact that Yuuri might probably tear him apart should keep him away." Kagome replied wryly.

Sango laughed at that. "Not to mention that dark haired demon wouldn't be too happy."

"Come on, Sango, stop it; I told you, he's just a friend!"

Sango snickered at her friend's naiveté; it felt good to be able to talk like this to Kagome again; she had missed the other girl whenever she was away for a long time and ever since Miroku told her about them defending the village from that swarm of demons, the anxiety never left her. And now that they were both here, sharing a hot bath like old times was a great relief that soothed her heart. Even if all she did was sit outside the tub and rub herself off with a warm, wet sponge.

She would have liked to discuss this Gwendal demon with her some more but she could see her friend just wasn't ready yet. Still too hung up on Inuyasha to even consider thinking about feeling something for someone else was inconceivable for someone as loyal as Kagome so Sango would just have to continue keeping the longing and desire she had seen in the dark haired demon's eyes several times since they arrived to herself.

"Besides," Kagome shook her head at her friend in exasperation as she began scrubbing her shoulders off gently. "Someone like Gwendal that would never go for someone like me."

"What are you talking about, Kagome, you're a beautiful woman!" Sango gasped as she turned back to her friend. "I mean… look at you! If I had your breasts, I would never be worried about Miroku looking at another woman again!"

Kagome turned red at the comment but laughed. "I'd say he enjoys your chest just fine, Sango."

Now it was the female demon slayer's turn to blush red and splash water at the younger woman. "Quiet, you!"

"Are you alright?" Kagome suddenly asked. "Should you even be walking? Didn't you just give birth to Miatsu?"

"I'm fine," Sango told her, dipping the piece of cloth into the wooden basin and cleaning her front. "Besides, I don't think my son would appreciate having a smelly mother."

They both giggled at that and Kagome moved over to the edge of the wooden tub so she could sit closer to her. "Here, let me clean your back."

Sango gave up her cloth gratefully over. "Kami, you have no idea how much I missed you."

"Me too." Kagome answered cleaning her up. "Sorry about Kirara; I tried to get her back here."

"It's fine," Sango nodded sadly. "I knew she was getting ready to leave when she started hanging out more and more around Shippou after you left for that 'college' place. For some reason, ever since we completed the Shikon no Tama, she had become quite restless and no amount of hunting with Kohaku could calm her down. Is she happy back there? In your brother's kingdom?"

"I think so," Kagome replied quietly. Telling Sango and Miroku about Shin Makoku was no easy feat and she had to ask Yuuri adn the others for help with it. Miroku and his family listened like a spellbound audience and before Sango and her left to bathe she could hear the violet eyed monk pestering Ken for more information. "I hope so. Kirara's always been mysterious to me. To be honest I was so surprised that she didn't want to come back. I thought she would stay with your family for eternity."

"I still can't believe you're twins with a _Maou_. Well I, for one, am happy that I at least know she's keeping you safe." Sango waited for a bit more before biting her lips and speaking again. "Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"About Mt. Fuji."

"Yes?"

"You know that when you manage to talk to Inuyasha about the wish he would probably wish for Kikyou to come back to life, right?"

"…Probably."

"…What are you planning?"

Sango didn't hear her speak but she could feel the slight hesitation in the way she moved the cloth down her back and she decided to continue.

"I know you too well," she tried again. "How are you planning to end this with Kikyou?"

"Sango—"

Sango stopped her ministrations and turned to look at Kagome right in the eye as she cut her off. "I know you won't kill her. You would never hurt Inuyasha that way."

"If you already know then why are we talking about this?"

"Because I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself instead," Sango's eyes went liquid with worry. "I can't stand seeing you hurt anymore; you've already been hurt enough. Even in your brother's kingdom where he's _Maou_ you're not safe. Always putting others before yourself acting like you're dispensable! So please… please don't do anything to hurt yourself!"

Sango watched Kagome close her eyes for a moment and thought that maybe— just maybe— she managed to get through to the younger woman.

But when her ebony eyes opened and Sango saw the sad, resolved look in her eyes she knew it wasn't going to happen.

"I'm sorry, Sango," she heard the priestess whisper to her. "Please don't get me to make promises I won't be able to keep."

Sango reached for her hand and squeezed it gently; her own dark eyes softening with the plea it contained; the slight tremble on her lower lip a testimony of her concern. "You're so selfish. You always tell us you want us to be happy and then you walk away and bear everything alone. Has it ever occurred to you that we want you to be happy too?"

Sango's heart broke when Kagome lowered her eyes from hers and closed them before replying to her in a whisper. "I… am not expecting happiness anymore, Sango. I'm just waiting for whatever crumbs fate would give me while I'm here. I'm not going to quibble about every little thing that makes me laugh. So I'm sorry if I'm being selfish… It _is_ very selfish of me to watch all of you watch me suffer it's just… I'm sorry. I guess it's just my fate."

"Don't say that! I don't ever want to hear you say that again!" Sango hissed at her angrily even as her eyes teared up. "If anyone in this world deserves any happiness it's you, Kagome. You understand me?"

Kagome swallowed hard before she squeezed Sango's hand back and gave her a tremulous smile after a while. "Thank you, Sango."

And that was all. The female demon slayer was disheartened that Kagome still wouldn't give her any promises, no assurance of a happy future and a will to seek such fortune. It worried her because— in a way— it felt like she was saying goodbye.

She needed to talk to Miroku.

Their thoughts were disturbed by the sudden noise outside the bathhouse.

"Kagome-sama! Please! Kagome-sama!"

Both women looked at one another.

"We're you expecting company tonight, Sango?"

Sango shook her head. "You?"

"Nu uh."

"Halt! State your business." Called back a familiar baritone.

Kagome's eyes widened at that. "Was that Gwendal just now?"

"Only one way to find out." Sango replied as she got up, tossing Kagome some cloth to dry herself with and began to dress.

They came out of the bathhouse, Kagome wearing her miko robes and Sango a blue green yukata to see a young man barely older than Yuuri desperately pleading to a tall and imposing Gwendal who had his sword drawn against the younger man's advance.

"Gwendal?" Kagome called out as she came near, Sango beside her. "What's going on?"

"Kintaro-san?" Sango called to the young man and the young villager sighed in relief at the sight of the two women approaching.

"Kagome-sama! Sango-sama!" he called out and tried to walk near them again but Gwendal's sword and glare kept barring the way.

"Kintaro?" Kagome wondered aloud as she came near and stood beside the tall Mazoku lord. "Aren't you Mariko-san's husband?"

"YES! Yes I am!" the man cried out, almost crying in joy at the recognition. It also looked like the only thing preventing him from dragging Kagome away was the silent sentry that acted like a wall between him and the miko. "Please help me! My wife…!"

Sango's eyes widened in realization. "Is it time already?"

"Yes!" he breathed out, nodding like shaking reed. "When she found out Kagome-sama had arrived she sent me to fetch her right away to help with the birthing!"

"Aren't there any midwives here?" Gwendal demanded, his glare increasing at the request; his voice kept cold. "Can't you see she is weak and tired from the journey we made to get here?"

"B-but my wife…!" the young man sobbed.

Kagoe couldn't stand seeing a grown man cry. It was obvious Kintaro was worried out of his mind already and wasn't thinking straight and she was quite surprised that Gwendal could even hold him off as he was doing. She needed to diffuse the situation before it got worse. "It's fine, I'll go."

Gwendal's glare turned to her. "You will do no such thing."

Kagome glared back. "This is my job; now _move_ it."

"I see no reason for you to follow the whims of a human in labor!"

"Have you ever seen a woman giving birth, Gwendal?" she shot back at him with a hiss; her will clashing against his. "The constant pain; the agony; the thought that she may die or that her child may die if something bad happens in the birthing! A pregnant woman needs all the reassurance she can get and if I can provide it then why shouldn't I?"

Sango watched the battle of glares with interest. This reminded her of Kagome and Inuyasha back when they were all younger. How Inuyasha would fight Kagome for the decisions she made outside his own comfort or benefit. She remembered Kagome didn't care who won or not in those arguments as long as she did what she wanted. Being generally a mild mannered person, the priestess had a fiery stubbornness when she wanted something; especially when she wanted it for someone else. Sango knew this from experience when that lord asked her to become his wife and Kagome tried to get Miroku to confess to her to keep her with them. The female taijiya wondered how this demon lord would react to this side of her Kagome-chan.

Would he meet her stubbornness head on like Inuyasha did back then until Kagome did something foolish and got into more trouble defying him? He looked like a man who commanded millions with just a look and seemed like he was not used to being disobeyed. Even at a glance this afternoon, there was no doubt in her mind that this demon was a general. But this demon Gwendal surprised her by sighing deeply despite the deep furrow between his eyes and lowered down his sword.

"Fine. But I'm coming with you."

"That's not necessary; you can just rest right—"

"I'm _coming_ with you." He repeated with a tone of finality before turning to the still quivering young man and looked at the plain villager from above his aristocratic nose. "Lead."

Kagome huffed in annoyance, her hands on her hips and Sango almost laughed at the expression of sheer exasperation on her face as she watched the Mazoku general go.

"Well?" Gwendal stopped walking and glared back at her. "Are you coming or not?"

Kagome scowled before stomping after him. He waited until she was walking ahead of him before following; ever so vigilant of any sort of danger that may come to her. Like a fine soldier.

"Fine, fine; hold your horses," Kagome grumbled as she walked away, waving to Sango as she did so. "Sango-chan, please tell everyone where I am if they wake up asking for me, ne?"

"Uh, sure, Kagome-chan," Sango replied, her brows up in her hairline at the interaction. "Good luck…"

Kagome turned to her with one last smile before continuing to walk off, Gwendal on her heels and Sango could only watch.

Yes, she definitely needed to talk to her husband.

"That guy."

Sango gasped and turned around, her body already positioned to a defensive stance as she did so and saw Kouga holding his side and leaning against her house' wall, his face still set in pain.

"Kouga-sama! You should be inside resting!"

He ignored her and continued to scowl after Kagome and her party. "Is he the kind of man her brother wants for her?"

Sango relaxed her stance when it was apparent he was making no move to make any sort of violent confrontations and again gazed at the disappearing figures in the night. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if it were?"

Kouga scowled before glaring at his bare feet. "He's nothing like me. I can make her happy. I'm a prince of my tribe."

"And he's a lord; a general working under her twin brother," Sango countered turning to him. "If that were you and Inuyasha, what would you have done if this happened?"

Kouga scowled. "Made her see reason, of course."

"And ultimately argue with her to the point that she would rebel and rush head long into it," Sango sighed. "That was the problem with the two of you, you know. You and Inuyasha always try to restrain her and keep her tied down. Kagome isn't like most women who are made by water that can be contained in a jar; nor is she like me who is similar to the wind that can be caught as long as a man knows in which direction I blew…

"Kagome is like a light," Sango described her friend fondly, warmly and with all the certainty who knew another person's heart. "She can't be held down by anything and yet she shines over all to comfort and guide everyone around her. It can be manipulated but ultimately, no one can possess it. No one until she willingly enters her chosen person's heart. And any shade of darkness in that heart can drive her away. Can you say that you have the ability to contain that light, Kouga-sama?"

Silence burned between them in the quiet night after she spoke and the female demon slayer watched the interesting play of emotions in the wolf prince's face.

"Tch," Kouga turned away to get back into the house. "He's gotta make her fall in love with him first. I hope Kagome dumps him right away."

Sango watched the wolf prince disappear back into her house with a small smile on her face. It was small but it was a sign.

Kouga was finally starting to let go…

/*****/


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: **Sorry for the delay, guys, I was angling for a promotion at work but… well I didn't get it even after all the extra hours I did so I was pretty much depressed lately. So sorry If I wasn't really in the mood to write anything. Thanks for the reviews, guys; they totally helped me out of the depression a lot.

**E.A.N.:** By the way, thank one of my best reviewers Izadleen for the childbirth scene. She really pushed for it and I couldn't say no to her. Also special thanks to **Bishounen'sFoxyMiko**! Her song suggestions garnered a lot of inspiration for this fanfic; thanks so much! AND TO ALL YOU FOLKS AND YOUR BRILLIANT IDEAS ON HOW TO GET RID OF WRITER'S BLOCKS! This chapter is for you!

**AN: **Please enjoy!** ^_^v**

**Chapter 28**

When the Original king Shinou founded Shin Makoku all those thousands of years ago he did not just make a promise to the land. He made a blood pact the likes of which would perhaps never be seen again in the history of the world he was living in. It was a bond that tied his very soul to the earth and the moment his physical body died his spirit bound itself to the land and became its physical representation instead. It was the reason that although the present Maou Yuuri freed him from the suffering he had to endure with Sousho he still managed to come back; his soul pure and unaffected by the ravages of time and the existence of heaven and hell.

When the flowers and the trees bloomed, he _felt_ their scent more than smelt them.

When the rains fell hard and wreaked havoc, he felt every drop from the very center of his being.

Even while he was inside the boxes keeping Sousho from the rest of the world he felt each and every existence come to life and meet its end in this land he had sworn his eternity to.

So it was only natural that he felt the presence of that strange power the moment it stepped on the land. He didn't notice it for its magnanimous existence; in fact; it was such a faint presence it may as well have been the presence of a bird merely taking its rest on one of the branches of a tree; coming a long way from the merciless weather of the North where Great Shimaron lay in all its half baked glory. Shinou looked around but found none of the other priestesses who attended him noticing this strange power but he saw the faint crease on Ulrike's smooth brow. As his chosen Head Priestess it would only be natural that she be given part of the bond he shared with the land hence her ability to remain looking younger than most Mazoku for a very long time.

"Ulrike," he stood up from one of the three boxes that lingered on his dais. The silver haired priestess looked up at him in surprise. "I'm going out."

Ulrike could only blink before bowing her head to the blond former king in obedience.

Once Shinou stepped out of the Original King's palace, the presence struck him in a familiar manner. It reminded him of the first time Lady Kagome appeared in this world. But where Kagome's powers felt like the bloody petals of spring that promised a kind death _this_ power felt like a cruel winter that promised suffering that even death would seem like a mercy. It was anything but kind.

Shinou, in his miniaturized form started gliding through the air and followed the presence to Blood Pledge castle. Curiously, as he stood on the castle walls he noted the uneasiness of the kotsuhizoku. But like Ulrike, although they could feel something was amiss they did not seem to know what to do about it. They cannot identify whether it was a friend or enemy. They could not overreact, though, since Shinou knew they needed to be careful. The Lady Kagome's presence and her strange power made them think so because of the regard their accepted Maou.

Sending them a signal to keep them silent and not alarm the other residents just yet Shinou jumped off the walls and continued following that strange presence. He was surprised to find it leading him towards the dungeons and not the royal quarters. At least now he knew it wasn't here to assassinate the Maou or any of the other officials.

He noted the presence of guards happily chattering about while keeping a vigilant eye on the surrounding area. It seemed they noticed nothing amiss but Shinou knew someone was down there. He stepped into the dungeons, walked around and listened.

The Mazoku Founder stopped in his tracks when he heard the distinct clamoring of iron; faint but unmistakable. Taking off at a run, he stopped at a corridor that led to Koritsu's cell and got ready to defend when he saw the sight of thick black ominous smoke forming in front of the bars. If one looked closely one could probably make a figure out of the dense fog but it was too dense to make out its gender. Shinou could see Koritsu's hand reaching out for the black cloud and when the Founder looked closer, he could swear he saw a pair of luminous ruby red eyes glaring through the smoke.

"Master!" the blond heard the prisoner cry; the tone of adoration and worship clinging to the word like a thorn. "Master! You've come to save me! I knew you would not leave me here!"

A piece of the smoke brushed across the outstretched hand lightly and if it were an actual hand then Shinou might have believed it was a caress of some sort. And then a voice made its way to the blonde's ears. It was a rasping voice, difficult to determine whether it was man or woman but it had a breathless quality as though the speaker was having difficulty breathing. Almost like a death rattle. "Where… is… the priestess…?"

"The witch," he heard Koritsu falter. "I… don't know. They kept me here for so long I haven't heard of any news from the outside world! She must be with the Maou. She's _always_ with the Maou! Or Princess Greta!"

"The Maou… is no longer… here…" continued the labored words as the smoke continued to float in front of the cell. "The Maou… is… nowhere… in… the castle…"

"P-perhaps he went on a trip?" Koritsu swallowed. "He is known for his unexpected visits to the oddest of places, after all!"

"…I… see…" the smoke then withdrew from Koritsu who continued reaching out for it. "You did… well… Koritsu… despite your… failure…"

"That is because I love you…!" Shinou frowned at the complete and utter devotion he could hear from the human's words. "I would do anything for you!"

"I… know…" the raspy voice seemed amused now. "You… said once… that you would even _die_ for me… did you not…?"

"Of course! My love for you is immeasurable! I hold you dear even over my own life!"

"Then fulfill… that promise…" the piece of the smoke that was caressing the dark skinned man earlier suddenly morphed into a deadly steel lance right before Shinou's narrowing eyes. "You will be… more useful to me… dead… than alive…"

With one quick move the lance went in between the bars but before it hit Koritsu's dark throat Shinou willed his maryouko to shield him, saving the man from certain death.

The figure in smoke turned towards him and ruby eyes glared in his direction. "And who… are you…?"

Shinou merely smirked confidently at the intruder. "I am lord of this land."

"The… Maou…?"

"The Maou right now is my predecessor," Shinou corrected the entity. "But I am lord here no less."

"I see…" the smoke hissed with bitter malice. "The Original King…"

"I'm flattered that you know of me not that I can blame you," Shinou tried to identify something— _someone_ out of that dense smoke as he spoke. "What brings you to Shin Makoku?"

The figure in the smoke hissed, already knowing what he was trying to do. "You are… supposed to be… _dead_!"

"Technically I am," Shinou raised a hand, palm outward towards the creature. "It doesn't make me less powerful, though. You are in my domain after all. Other than the Maou my power here is absolute."

"The power of the dead… is _never_ absolute." The entity mocked him. "That is why… I am searching for… eternal life…!"

Shinou narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows at it. What can such a thing know about death? And then the apparition started to dissipate. "Wait!"

"I have waited… long enough… demon…" the figure hidden in the smoke wheezed as it glared at him. "I have waited… for far… too long…! I… refuse to be… kept from… what is rightfully… _mine_! Now that she has come here… now that IT is finally in my reach again… I _refuse_ to falter…!"

"MASTER! NO, DON'T LEAVE ME!" Koritsu yelled from his cell and Shinou could see the young human trying to press himself against the bars in a futile attempt to chase after the disappearing entity but he was ignored.

Shinou felt the presence disappear bit by bit from the land and felt the huge wave of relief come from the entire kingdom at the disappearance of their unwanted guest. He was struck by the realization that such a slight presence actually created such stress in the land. This entity was but a mere puff of smoke and yet it had caused such an underlying tension in the very nature that made up Shin Makoku. This may be much more dangerous than he thought. He would have to discuss this with Daikenja when he returned.

"WHO'S THERE? HOW DARE YOU HURT THE MASTER?" Koritsu began to yell but Shinou ignored this. Unless he was standing right in front of the cell, the human would not be able to see him. "I SAID WHO IS OUT THERE? ANSWER ME! I'LL KILL YOU!"

The blond former Maou made it to the surface and outside the dungeon just in time for the guards to react to Koritsu's shouting and rush downstairs to find out what was wrong. Shinou threw a protective ring around the dungeon to protect the prisoner just in case the entity returned. Until Yuuri decided what to do with the prisoner then he must not die.

Standing on the hill overlooking the town and town walls Shinou silently bade Yuuri, Daikenja, the brothers and yes, even Lady Kagome to come back.

This country will need them very soon.

/*****/

"My love, are you there? I'm back with Kagome-sa—"

Kintaro took one look at his wife upon entering the small hut; saw all the blood gushing out from between her legs…

And promptly fainted.

Kagome sweat dropped alongside a slowly blinking and pale Gwendal who were both standing just outside the small hut's threshold. They were following the enthusiastic father to be when he toppled over like a six foot slender house of cards. Gwendal started nudging him out of Kagome's way with the toe of his boot into a corner of the threshold like a particularly distasteful piece of rubbish.

The old midwife attending to the birth who had been standing at the mother to be's feet curled her upper lip at the young man in disgust. "This is why men should not be allowed into the birthing chamber."

"Can you really blame him?" Kagome asked wryly, wincing as Gwendal resorted to kicking the unconscious man right into a corner when Kintaro's unconscious body refused to move. "He must have been in shock."

"Then they shouldn't make babies if they can't handle the sight of a woman in labor." The old crone retorted. "And you just keep on letting them off lightly, Kagome-sama!"

He watched Kagome brush the scathing criticism aside and started tying her hair back while practically flying at the mother to be's side. He couldn't help but watch the complete concentration on her face as her whole focus settled on her patient, oblivious to the world around her. The healer part of her already at work and like that time when he saw her take control of the village that was almost attacked by the passing army because of Inuyasha and Kikyou's insolence her entire demeanor changed and glowed with sincerity and determination. And he was dazzled by it.

True he had seen plenty Mazoku women with such an expression on their faces; it was understood that man or woman it didn't matter as long as one has chosen their path in life and had chosen to live it with joy. His mother was chosen as Maou at the age of sixteen and Annisina resolved to be an inventor against all opposition from her family at the same age. When Gisela and Julia turned that age they were both already renowned in their fields of expertise… To see the same expression on the face of the woman he loved made him extremely proud. And that she would do it with such compassion made her even more worthy in his eyes.

"K-Kagome-sama…" the sweaty Mariko called out to her as she came to kneel beside the young woman. The mother to be held onto the hand Kagome held out like a person about to drown. Kagome could see the fear in her dark eyes as she looked into them and squeezed the hand that held her back. "Thank Kami you're here… Please… help me…!"

"It's alright, I'm here, let's take a look, okay?" she said in a voice so gentle it made Gwendal stare.

She lay her hand on the woman's distended belly and felt around gently. What she found seemed to have disturbed her greatly. She then stood up to face the old woman. "Chiziru-baa, I'm going to need a piece of smooth wood that I can use to roll on her back around this thick." She made a circle with the tips of her thumb and forefinger to indicate the size. "And I'm going to need more hot water."

"Yes, Kagome-sama." the old woman said and rushed out of the room to acquire what she needed even though she had a perplexed look on her face.

Kagome nodded.

Gwendal stiffened, realizing where he was and asking himself what he was doing there until her exotic ebony eyes looked up and met his blue ones pleadingly. "Gwendal, I'm sorry about this but can you help us out a bit?"

The dark haired Mazoku forced himself to frown at this and saw Kagome wince. "I'm sorry, I know, but since Kintaro can't do it then you're the next best thing I have."

The Mazoku lord blinked. Although the next-best-thing comment held a little innuendo for him he still could not ignore that, instead of demanding his assistance like his mother and the other women of his acquaintance who took it for granted that he would help them no matter what whenever or wherever they needed help, Kagome just asked him rather sheepishly. He didn't know whether this meant she still thought of him as a stranger despite all the… erm… informalities they have gone through or if she just wanted to afford him with a measure of respect. Either way, he liked it. It didn't demean him as a man like Annissina would often do whenever _she_ needed his 'help'.

So how can he really say no?

"Of course." He took his sword and sheathe off and leaned it against the wall, walking over to the bed beside her. "What should I do?"

"Please have her carefully turned over. I want her on all fours."

"Wha—?"

"It's fine," Kagome cut him off and began tying the sleeves of her haori back, face set. "I know what I'm doing."

Gwendal blinked for a moment, wanting to question such a technique because it sounded potentially harmful to the mother to be but then he was reminded of how little he knew about childbirth when Mariko started trying to get up.

"P-please…" she panted, reaching out to him. "Help me…"

Gwendal grimaced but reached out his strong hands and gently turned her over as effortlessly as he would a child. She was now on all fours and was yelling in pain.

"You can rest your shoulders on the bed," Kagome told her, kneeling behind the woman now and massaging her back with agile fingers. "Just breathe and don't think of anything else."

"I-I'll go outside now." Gwendal stood up and was going for the door awkwardly.

Kagome spared him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Gwendal."

Gwendal had to stop and bask in it. Somehow that smile satisfied him and made him want to do more for her.

"Kagome-sama, I've brought what you asked for." The old woman came in, pushing past the Mazoku lord in a hurry.

"Thank you, Chizuru-baa." Kagome took the piece of wood and started rolling it on Mariko's back.

The old woman nodded approvingly. "I see; you want her to relax."

Kagome nodded; sweat beading on her brows as she worked. "I need her to relax so her opening can widen."

Gwendal's face turned red as the meaning of all this sank in and he struggled not to cough in embarrassment.

Kagome didn't even notice. "Alright, Mariko-chan, please breathe like this."

Gwendal watched her demonstrate the breathing technique Yuuri had insisted on during boat rides and he would hold an oar. Mariko obeyed without question. The Mazoku general continued to watch Kagome work until he realized just where he was and what he was doing and rushed outside carrying Kintaro's still happily unconscious form and dumped him in front of the door and waited while leaning against the wall of the hut, his arms over his chest, quietly listening to the sounds of activity within.

How long has it been since he was in this position?

Ah yes; four years ago when Elu was born at Blood Pledge Castle right after he pardoned the child's father for his past transgressions.

Back then he was incredulous that even in the matter of childbirth, everyone looked to him for the next step. For what to do next. Thank Shinou Gisela and Annisina were there as he didn't have a single idea how to handle a woman in labor. And now this. Sometimes it was as if the heavens were trying to tell him something.

He could still remember the anxiety and the worry he felt despite trying to calm Hube down with his entire liquor stock and checking whether or not his brothers or the Maou were under any undue stress. Of course the only one who was under the most panic was Yuuri even though he tried to cheer everyone up with lame jokes and assurances. He smirked at the memory.

At that time, watching his estranged cousin's pale and worried face, he wondered privately if he would ever be that anxious during the birth of his own child. He had brushed the thought off soon after Elu was born thinking it would be worth it to bring such an adorable soul to greet the world. But now he thought of Kagome going through such pain… Gwendal swallowed the bile that suddenly found itself up his throat even as his stomach turned to ice.

He would be damned first before he subjected his beloved to such pain and despair. Having her there with him, living and sharing an entire lifetime with him was more than enough. He did not need an heir as long as Elu was there anyway. As he is of the von Voltaire line and the cutest by far he had no problems leaving the von Voltaire lordship and everything it held in the boy's hands when he came of age and his court had no objections to it. The boy will be beloved. Of course he had yet to bring this up with his cousin but he found no reason for Hube to object to his proposal. There might be some resistance from his mother's side of the family being the traditionalists that they were but he was sure he can make the necessary arrangements to secure Elu's claim to the position and he and Kagome could—

"Gwendal?"

He blinked, surprised and wondering how he had not managed to hear her come close. How long has it been already? But he maintained his composure, confident that she was not in any sort of danger. "Yes?"

She looked worried and it was enough to perk his concern. "Can you come in for a sec?"

"Is it the baby?"

She looked helpless, her brow was drenched in sweat and it was obvious that her arms had grown tired. "I need your help again."

He didn't need any more words. Nodding to her to lead the way they both entered the hut again.

Inside it seemed as though no progress has been made. The baby had still not been delivered and the poor woman was still in pain and on her hands and knees. Kagome knelt beside the mother to be with a solemn look on her face and she held Mariko's hand gently.

"W-what is it…?" the pale faced Mariko asked, grabbing hold of her sleeve in reflex, her eyes wide and terrified. "Is something wrong…?"

"I want you to listen very carefully, alright, Mariko-chan." the ebony eyed priestess began earnestly.

The mother to be nodded slowly after taking a deep breath to relax herself again despite her building anxiety.

"The baby's turned in the wrong direction," Kagome began to explain and halted at the way the young woman on the bed widened her eyes at the news. "I'm sorry it took me too long to notice. It's fine, I've dealt with this before though so you don't need to worry. What we need to do is to get the baby out quickly and I'm going to need your help by cooperating and trusting me. Do you trust me, Mariko-chan?"

"Y-yes…!" the pale faced Mariko asked, grabbing hold of her sleeve in reflex, her wide eyes were terrified but promising the priestess the whole world if she had to. "I will do…" she winced as a contraction hit. "Everything Kagome-sama wants…!"

Kagome nodded and smiled before turning her eyes to pierce the Mazoku general's. "Gwendal, turn her over, put your arms around her torso and make sure you hold onto her tightly. Mariko-chan, this is going to take a while but we need to get the baby out very soon alright?"

"Al… _right_!"

If Gwendal had any say in it, he would have run out the door and never looked back. Being given the position of lord at an early age he was expected to be dependable in every manner of life. But being male meant there were still some things he dared not breach despite the fact that he had borne witness to the birth of two brothers who were far younger than he was. Nevertheless he lifted Mariko and held her chest against his making sure she was as comfortable as possible. He could deny Kagome nothing.

"What are you going to do?" the old woman Kagome called Chizuru asked as she fretted over a pot of steaming hot water. "This birth is too dangerous! I say save the mother and let the child go! She will have others—"

"No!" Kagome replied firmly with gritted teeth as she knelt at the foot of the bed and lifted the covers of the young woman Gwendal was now holding close. He could see the complete rejection of this idea in her onyx eyes that burned with the heat of the fires from the stove nearby that kept the room warm. "I can do this. I just need her to relax so her opening can widen."

Gwendal's face turned red as the meaning of all this sank in and he struggled not to cough in embarrassment.

Kagome didn't even notice. "Alright, Mariko-chan, please breathe."

Mariko breathed again and Gwendal tried not to wince at the way the woman was digging her nails into his arm. If he were human he was sure he would have been bleeding by now. Moments passed by as he struggled to keep himself and Mariko calm. He was about to ask Kagome if she was done when she stepped back and took a look under the covers, the old woman Chizuru holding a small lamp high to make them see better.

"It's open," the pleased look on Kagome's face made Gwendal relieved even as her hard breathing worried him. She then turned to Mariko. "Everything is going to be alright, Mariko-chan."

All the mother to be could do was nod. Gwendal felt her grip on him grow tighter.

"I see the feet now; they're so pale! And small…!" she told the young woman; Gwendal wanted to question the significance of such a statement when he saw the excitement light up in the patient's eyes. "When I say 'now', I want you to push as hard as you can, alright?"

Mariko nodded again.

"Gwendal, I need you to hold on to her tightly. I'm pulling the baby out."

"A-alright." He answered, swallowing hard; the scent of blood and putrid human scents assaulting him and making him go dizzy but he kept his focus on Kagome. He will _not_ fail her.

"It's here," Kagome announced again and she nodded to the old woman to hold the lamp up higher. "Here it comes, Mariko-chan… NOW!"

Mariko cried in his eyes so loudly and so high pitched that Gwendal could swear his eardrums had shattered and he winced, closing his eyes while holding the woman close to his chest. Gwendal looked up after a moment only to see Kagome holding the grotesque sight of an unmoving child in her hands and Chiziru shaking her head sadly.

"I told you it's impossible," the old woman said. "I have never seen such a birth with a live child resulting from it."

"W-what is happening?" Mariko sobbed against his chest as she tried to twist her neck to look around but Gwendal's hand on her head prevented her. "Why is there no crying? Why isn't my baby crying?"

The Mazoku lord could think of no other way to spare the young woman the sight of her child's dead body and looked up hopelessly, needing Kagome to tell him what to do next in this unfamiliar territory he found himself suddenly in but what the ebony haired priestess did instead shocked him into stillness.

Kagome's lips were on the child's and it looked as though… she were pushing air into its mouth.

"Kagome-sama, what are you doing?!" Chizuru cried out in disbelief.

"What's happening?!" Mariko cried out, weakly trying to push away from Gwendal's chest. "My baby! I want to see my baby!"

But then the protests were replaced by the sound of a squalling child. The dark Mazoku lord's eyes widened and watched the scene of Kagome smiling proudly down at the bloody, crying baby in her hands even as the old woman cut the cord with a sharp knife that had been sunk in the pot full of steaming water, shaken in her own disbelief.

"It's a girl…" Kagome breathed to Mariko who was slowly easing up on her panting, worn out from her labor. "It's a beautiful, live baby girl…!"

Mariko started laughing in joy and relief and Gwendal gently set her down on the bed so she could rest before standing up and watched as Kagome gently cleaned the baby. He was arrested by the infinite tenderness and joy that seemed to light up every pore of her skin. Her sweat glittering like so much fairy dust dancing around a campfire. And a smile that Gwendal thought was enough of an encouragement for the child in her arms to live.

Gwendal watched as the dark haired miko wrapped the cleaned child in a light blue kimono and placed in her mother's arms who immediately started cooing at the little being.

The sound of the laughter and crying must have finally woken up Kintaro because that was about the time when he came stumbling in. They left the little family in their bliss.

"That was close; I really thought the child was going to die!" Chizuru-baa sighed, wiping at her forehead with the sleeve of her kimono. "What holy magic did you use, Kagome-sama? Is this part of the Shikon no Tama's power?"

"No," Kagome breathed out, rubbing at her arms with a smile at the old woman. "It's called mouth to mouth resuscitation. I took a course on first aid three years back in summer."

"Re- resus-ci…?" Gwendal almost laughed at the sight of the old woman twisting her tongue around the word.

"It's forcing breath back into a body that is not breathing," Kagome tried to simplify the explanation sheepishly, realizing she was using future lingo again. "Blow the breath into them in the same pattern your heart beats so they'll beat the same way. You can also use it for people who had stopped breathing after drowning."

The old woman's eyes widened before bowing her head to the younger woman in deep respect. "Thank you so much, Kagome-sama. I have learned something new from you today."

"It was my pleasure," Kagome returned the older woman's bow. "They should be alright but I want to be sure nothing goes wrong. You can go on ahead and rest, Chizuru-baa."

"But should you not rest as well, Kagome-sama?" the old woman fussed. "You must be tired after all your travels."

"I'll be fine," Kagome assured the old woman. "I just need to be sure nothing else will go wrong for them."

"Very well, please call for me again if you need any more help."

"Of course; thank you very much for your hard work." Kagome bowed respectfully back to the old woman.

They both watched the old woman trot away and when she was finally out of sight, Kagome slumped down on the ground and leaned against the hut's wall with a sigh.

"You're tired." Gwendal stated, looking down at her, wondering what to do.

"Well put, Sherlock."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing," she smiled up at him as she continued to knead her arms. "Are you alright? Are _you_ tired?"

"Didn't I just ask you that question?" he asked her with a frown.

"Don't mind me, I'm pretty used to this kind of life," she laughed softly at him. "Once you get used to it; this is actually the easy part."

The knot between Gwendal's brows went deeper. "You have been through a lot."

"I've been through what an ordinary person would go through had they been living in this time period," she answered firmly, making it clear to him that she didn't need any pity. "Just the way you must have gone through the life you were expected to have back in Shin Makoku."

The Mazoku general blinked several times before sighing and giving into the desire to sit next to her in the manner he had never been able to do since he was very young. It was a relaxed sort of pose where his usually straight shoulders were hunched over, knees apart and elbows resting on his knees. At first he was afraid she would gape at him and how strange he was acting but she merely spared him a glance and then continued to massage her arms.

He relaxed. "How is this easy?

She smiled but was too concerned of her aches to glance at him. "Trust me; running around with people eating demons and nobles constantly at war with each other at your back 24/7? Since day one I would always have to expect that I would kill someone. Being able to help bring life to this world however… Well, after all that death and destruction, it's something that makes me proud. Somehow it makes me feel that my life is more than just death and destruction of enemies. That's why I never skip a chance to help treat the injured and try to heal the sick. Compared to having to negotiate trade and evade marriage proposals not to mention the constant threats to your life this is actually the peaceful part of life here. You can say it makes me feel good to have the knowledge that I can aid in _living_ instead of _dying_."

"You don't have to do this, surely?"

"That's true," this time, she did look his way. "But I want to help them. They are my people."

The Mazoku lord raised his brows at the pride inherent in her voice. "You do not feel bitter at all? Despite the fact that they consume all your time and energy that you have no time for yourself? Wasn't all that a part of Kikyou's bitterness?"

Kagome shook her head with a small smile. "I kinda felt that way at first. And then I got to know all these people and realized how they needed someone like me. Right now, I just feel blessed."

"Blessed?"

"Yes, blessed," she shot him a sheepish half smile. "People always look for a purpose in life. Be it being a loving mother; a faithful lover or a warrior who protects his home and lord. These duties give me a purpose in life and because of that I don't feel lonely. You have duties a lord too; do you feel unfortunate because you have them?"

Gwendal blinked; no one has ever asked him that question before and now that he thought about it, he realized he only had one answer. "No, I don't. I love my country and my family. I will do everything for them."

"Same here," she grinned at him. "Do you realize that there are hundreds of people looking for a purpose in their lives and they sometimes use up a lifetime to try and find it… and yet here we are now living their most desired wishes? Some people even depend on the existence of others to find it. Take your brother Conrad, for example."

Gwendal blinked; he certainly wasn't expecting his younger brother to be used as an example.

"I've heard stories from Yuuri and while I was in Shin Makoku, Lady Cherie kinda talked about him a lot. From what I've heard, even before Yuuri came along and he became the Lion of Luttenberg, he had no sense of purpose; he didn't know where to belong. As the second son of the Maou he had no choice but to join the military and because he was half human he was probably just as shunned as Inuyasha was here. He had nowhere to fit in until Gunter apparently taught him how to set himself apart by taking him as his student. And then Yuuri came along… Sorry I can't count Julia; although she gave him purpose and joy she was in love with another man."

Gwendal blinked again wondering how she had managed to peg his younger brother so well with just a few tales. His mother must have been _extremely_ talkative.

"I have what people like him have always been dying to have. A purpose in life," her smile was serene and content. "That's enough to make me feel lucky in my book."

Again Gwendal could clearly see the similarities between his Maou and this miko but her views and the way she handled things made him realize just how much they had spoiled Yuuri. "How did you manage?"

Kagome blinked and turned towards him in confusion. "Eh? Manage what?"

He met her eyes with his. "How did you manage to be what you are right now despite knowing what you know?"

"Seriously?"

His expression was enough of an answer so he chose not to grace her with a reply. Usually this irritated a lot of people who didn't know him but she brushed it off as though she had known him all her life.

"Well," Kagome shrugged. "This is just the way I want to live. Every other way just seems so… complicated. Besides, with friends like mine why shouldn't I feel secure?"

He tried but he couldn't stop himself. He chuckled softly.

Like her twin, Kagome had the mysterious ability to gather capable people around her. Or at least as capable as this place had to offer.

Kagome pouted at him. "Hey, what's so funny?"

Prussian blue eyes made Kagome feel a flutter of warmth in her belly and if she wasn't already sitting she probably would have fallen down at the warmth they poured on her like a warm blanket in cold night.

"Nothing. I just think you're amazing." He said, chuckling.

Kagome's breath stopped and her heart sped up in her chest. She could find the words to retaliate and all she could do was look away to try and hide the blush on her cheeks. Maybe it was wrong of her to wish Gwendal would smile more often. That low laugh was enough to drive a woman to her knees if he wanted to. It should be _criminal_.

"Come; let me see your back." Kagome shot him a curious glance but he just continued smiling that sweet little half smile of his that made it difficult for her to breathe.

"W-what for?" she hesitated; not really trusting her voice or her confused emotions anymore.

"I am a soldier; I have experience for what ails you." He told her as large, warm hands turned her so that her back was facing him and started gently kneading her shoulders. "As I thought; your shoulders, arms and back are all tense."

His voice was low and warm. Like spiced sake on a winter day that coursed down her throat in languid burn before settling in her stomach with a slow but sure warmth. It made her feel so good that it almost felt like sin even as she softly moaned while he planted just the right pressure to massage her aches away.

Gwendal stilled for a moment, swallowing hard, desire instantly hitting him like a punch in the gut. Surely that soft little sound from her lips was illegal. But he wanted to hear it again. He wanted to hear it again oh so much.

He continued massaging her shoulders and neck until he noticed her head drooping. She was asleep. He figured she must hav been dead tired after everything that had happened since they stepped into this time. The desperate Mazoku lord looked around; making sure no one would bear witness to his actions before he gave in to his longing and pulled the sleeping priestess' back against his chest and buried his face in her hair to breathe her beautiful scent relishing in the healing peace it brought his whole being, relieving it of its aching while silently praying in his mind.

_Tonight… If only for tonight… please allow me to be selfish… Just until I can make her mine…_

He guarded and held her like that all through that night keeping her warm and protected. Savoring every second and anxiously promising himself there would come a time when he would not have to hide this desire from her or anyone else.

She will be his.

/*****/

Miroku woke up with the sun as was his custom.

Although childbirth and motherhood had prevented her from doing so lately he usually shared the same habit with his dear wife. Years of pursuing Naraku and always getting up with a demanding hanyou on their backs to get moving have pounded the habit into them and he carried that with him even now.

As per his habit, he got the basket of wood and his trusty carving knife with him and left the shrine to make his way over to his favorite spot. A wide stump of a tree they had cut down a long time ago when they had started making plans rebuilding the village underneath a flourishing sycamore. It was Miroku's favorite place.

Back during their wandering days he and his companions have usually been conditioned to the habit by Inuyasha's sniping and snarling and he remembered Kagome being the only one who had had trouble adjusting in the end. Because of this Miroku assumed that all people who came from her era was the same. So he was quite surprised to see the young man she had called Murata Ken standing under the sycamore tree looking out up onto the mountains surrounding the village like a natural great wall.

Miroku didn't mind company so as he came near, he raised his free arm to call out a greeting but… hesitated all of a sudden.

He really wasn't sure what it was but there was just something about the way this young man just stood there that made him look older and somehow.. less human to Miroku.

Frowning, the monk blinked and looked again.

It was still the same.

It almost felt like seeing a kami… or a rather powerful, beautiful demon with jet black hair and a flowing black robe…

Miroku started when he realized he was being stared at by a pair of endless ebony eyes and he tried to get his composure back on, embarrassed at being caught staring.

"G-good morning, Murata-dono!" Miroku barely resisted the urge to bow low in front of this person and wondered what was wrong with him.

This person was no lord or higher noble. He wasn't even born in this era and yet after seeing such an after image Miroku felt an overwhelming push to show this person respect. It was an odd feeling.

"Good morning." Ken smiled back with his usual grin as he fully turned to the monk with a small wave. "And please call me Ken; Murata-dono makes me feel weird."

Miroku chuckled and shook his head at his earlier thoughts. Why was he so afraid? Ken was human albeit quite a perplexing one.

However.

Despite the affable smiles and the easy, soft spoken words and good humor Miroku was having a hard time placing this person's species. For all walks and purposes the younger man was human; adept with all the concepts of human culture and nature. He did not have the obvious beauty or disfigurement of a hanyou and neither did he display or emit any sort or form of reiki so he was no monk. However Miroku could feel power from him. The same kind of power in this young man displayed by Kagome's twin and the three brothers who acted more like royalty than guards for these three; a power that seemed like a purer and much more undiluted form of the youki displayed by the demons here in this place. From what he had gathered from Kagome he was Yuuri's Great Sage. If he were correct in interpreting such a grand title then he may be a lord's most trusted advisor. Kagome was a gifted storyteller so the way talked about Shin Makoku was vivid in their minds no matter how incredulous some of the things may be so both he and Sango had some idea how important this person was to a kingdom of such a grand scale.

Something about him did not sit right with Miroku. He just wished he knew what it was.

"Very well. How are you enjoying your stay so far? I hope you had a fitful rest." Miroku tried again for another normal conversation, trying to shake off the odd feeling the younger man gave him.

"Oh I did, thank you for your hospitality," The bespectacled young man waved off the bow as he came closer. "Your wife is an excellent cook."

"Thank you," Miroku's grin widened proudly. "It took her a while to learn but we all survived. She is truly a prize and I thank Kami-sama I convinced her to marry me every day of my life. Just don't tell her that."

"You're secret is safe with me." Ken answered with a chuckle as he stood before the violet eyed father of three.

Content at this, Miroku settled onto his tree trunk, brought out his carving knife and took out a piece of wood from the basket he had with him and began carving. For a moment, Ken watched him until the flat edges of a talisman slowly made its way under his knife.

"What is that you're doing?" Ken suddenly broke the silence between them. "It looks like one of the talismans at Old Kaede's village."

Miroku smiled up at the younger man brightly. "Why yes, you have a sharp eye, Ken-dono. Kagome-sama and I make these talismans from various aged trees to sell. It helps the economy of our villages and protects us from harm. Even high born nobles place orders for our talismans especially when they hear the name of the Shikon no Miko attached to it."

"Wow, that's a pretty amazing advertising strategy." Ken commented, eyeing the talismans with new respect.

"Yes that was what Kagome-sama called it!"

Ken laughed. "I see. Well since her grandfather runs a souvenir shop at their shrine I guess she might have picked up a few things."

"Yes, she mentioned that too." Miroku nodded. "Besides that, Kagome-sama's reiki is legendary. Already there have been rumors around the talismans she made."

"Rumors?"

"Oh, you know?" Miroku shrugged, trying to hide a sly smirk. "That they can grant wishes just like the real Shikon no Tama; or that they can give you eternal life. Or that they can make you lucky in all endeavors. Or that they can keep you safe."

Ken returned the sly smirk with one of his own. "And can they really do everything you say they could?"

"Who knows?" Miroku waved his hand loftily. "All talismans depend on the wearer's luck. If that person's luck is too low for even the talisman to save it then that was not our fault."

"My, my," Ken pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Does Kagome even know the rumors you've been spreading about the talismans?"

"Who says she has to know?" the monk grinned sadistically.

Both men chuckled with pure evil intent, scaring even the birds away from the tree by the amount of malicious glee inherent in their chuckles.

"I've also noticed how well she handled things with Kouga-san's kidnapper," Ken noted. "I never really expected Kagome could act like a noble herself."

"Oh that?" Miroku smiled proudly. "It wasn't easy for her at first since she really didn't understand politics and court life but when one of those lords tried to bully her into becoming his wife by taking one of the villages we were staying in hostage… well I think you could have guessed that didn't sit well with her and she gave that lord a piece of her mind. After that she never took things from nobles lying down anymore. It's amazing how her sense of justice can also be her drive."

"That's what is so special about her and Yuuri." Ken nodded.

"Times here in this era are hard compared to how Kagome-sama was raised back in the future, or so she tells us," Miroku continued after they finished their fun. "I heard she did not have to travel in fear of a demon devouring her at night or to hide in caves in case a raiding party chose to ravage a village. Sometimes I wonder how she manages to survive here or why she keeps on coming back."

Ken nodded. "When Yuuri dragged her to Shin Makoku she was desperate to get back. She truly treasures all of you."

Miroku nodded. "She is family to us."

"I'm glad." Ken smiled beatifically.

But something about the bespectacled young man's presence there bothered Miroku. He wished he could ignore it but he new he would get no peace otherwise if he didn't ask. So setting aside his carving knife and the half finished talisman, he faced Kagome's friend with a serious, solemn face. "Ken-dono."

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course?"

"About Inuyasha…" Miroku could clearly remember the fearsome power and daunting rage of Yuuri. If Inuyasha got in the way of that again he doubted his hanyou friend would be able to survive. And yet after what he had heard and observed of this group he doubted they would just let Inuyasha's transgressions pass. "What exactly is Yuuri-dono planning to do to him when you find him on Mt. Fuji?"

"Ah that?" Ken looked up at the brightening sky for a moment as though thinking before smiling and answering the former monk. "Probably nothing."

Miroku could have cried in relief. "That's good."

"Really?"

"Yes," Miroku nodded happily. "Inuyasha may act like a child and an idiot at times but he's a good person."

"Ara, is that so?" Ken kept beaming. "But then again that's Yuuri's cute point. He is quick to anger and quick to forgive. However…" and here Miroku felt the temperature around them drop when Ken met his eyes; that smile melting into a dark one. "…_I_ don't think _I'm_ ready to forgive Inuyasha."

Miroku froze. If he weren't a perceptive man then he would have missed the connotations hidden in those words.

"What do you mean?" Miroku stopped and looked up to stare at the full blown grin on Ken's face, finally gaining the common sense to respond. "W-what are you planning to do with him?"

"Why…" If possible, Ken's smile became even more angelic and serene. So serene that it brought chills to Miroku's spine. "Eliminate him, of course."

The violet eyed monk had lived long and lived as comfortably as a travelling monk should all those years as he pursued Naraku and get rid of his curse and he had perfected the art of survival by being able to read people as effortlessly and flawlessly as he read his own. Looking at the genial natured young man in front of him told him in no uncertain terms that this person was serious.

"You can't do that." Was all he could say.

"Eh? And why not?" his smile took a sinister turn as he looked Miroku in the eye again. The monk felt his blood freeze at the seriousness and darkness behind that smile.

"B-because Yuuri-dono is the Maou!" Miroku felt like a deer in the sights of a hunter's arrow; it had been a long time since he had felt such incredible malice aimed solely straight at him. "You can't defy his wishes!"

Ken chuckled at that. "Has Kagome never explained to you who I am?"

Miroku's grip on his carving knife tightened bit by bit. "What do you mean? Who are you, really?"

"I am Soukoku no Daikenja, Miroku-san," Ken informed his smoothly. "Although I leave the ruling and the politics to Shibuya I still have power that is equal to his. He is the Sun of Shin Makoku and I am its Moon. Who do you think makes the decisions he cannot make? Also, if it is for the good of the people I care about then I can defy even the wishes of the Maou.

"What has happened to Kagome here has been inexcusable to me," Ken continued, his smile a tad bit more bitter than before and Miroku could clearly see he was displeased. "Even though she says this was what she wanted do you really think I would excuse such things from happening and just let this all lie? I will protect her. Even if it is from herself."

That last line caught Miroku's attention and his brows furrowed more deeply. "…What do you mean?"

Ken seemed to have caught himself before the light in his ebony eyes turned a bit bleaker and he stared up into the brightening indigo sky. It was a while before he spoke again. "What do you know about the Shikon no Tama?"

Miroku was startled into muteness and for a few moments all he could so was stare at the now serious face of the bespectacled young man before him in shock even Ken stood before him casually, his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans. Before him was no longer the affable young man he had been conversing cheerfully with a moment ago but a calculated general in his own right trying to gather information. He gripped the unfinished talisman in his hand tightly.

Ken ignored the sudden tension in the monk's form. "I know enough to know that it can grant any wish with dire consequences and how it was made; Kagome informed me everything there was to know about its history and how it was generally used but what else can it do? Is there anything else I should know about the jewel aside from the fact that it can grant wishes?"

Miroku put his hands down and rested them on his lap as he answered after a few moments. Maybe this young man was merely worried about Kagome. "I know just as much as you do. I also know how the jewel can seduce people and youkai to consume their desires and fuel the evil inside it. Only Kagome's soul can keep it pure."

"I know that too."

"Then you know just about as much as I do," Miroku said, trying to shrug his tense shoulders. "The best person to talk about the Shikon no Tama is Kagome herself. She's not just the jewel's keeper; she's its host. And the Shikon no Tama's host needs to be strong enough not to _need_ the jewel."

"…Did you know about the wish she made to the jewel?"

"Wish?" Miroku blinked in surprise. This was news to him. "I don't remember Kagome-sama making any wishes. She knows better than to do that."

The former monk prided himself in his ability to read people and what they might or might not be thinking and the blank expression on the bespectacled soukoku's face was enough for him to read between the lines. His eyes widened and he dropped the unfinished talisman to the ground as he stood up to meet Ken's eyes. "No… What could she possibly try to wish fo—"

Again Ken remained quiet and his eyes were glazed over by the strings of early morning sunlight already appearing over the mountains protecting the village. His silence only increased the dread that now felt like an icy stone in the pit of the violet eyed man's stomach.

"Kami…" Miroku whispered in a mix of a plea and disbelief. If he knew Kagome the way he did then this had something to do with Inuyasha. "What do you know? _Tell me_!"

His demand was met by Ken's rather stoic face. "I know that if her wish is granted, it will cost her her life."

"Is it about her soul? Is she going to give it to Kikyou after all?!" Miroku paled at the thought. "For Kagome to do such a thing… after all the hard work she had done to survive until now! I would never have thought— No, scratch that; it's to be expected of her. Kami, I need to talk to her—"

"That's useless; she's determined to go through with it."

Miroku shot his panicked and dismayed eyes at the younger man. "No, we're _different_; she will listen to us. She _has_ to."

"Not this time."

"What do _you_ know?" Miroku hissed at him, enraged now. He could count the number of people he had truly felt real rage and anger for. The top of the list had always been Naraku but this person was quickly moving up the ranks to grab for the dead half breed's place. "You don't know her like we do! We have _travelled_ with her! _Cried_ with her! _Bled_ with her! I'm sure we can talk her out of whatever mess she wants to get into!"

"You can't."

"Why _not_?"

"Because it's already too late."

"…..

…

…

…..Huh?"

"I'm not blaming you for whatever has happened," Ken went on, his kinder smile back in place. "In fact, I am saying this to you as proof of my thanks about how well you have been taking care of our Kagome for all this time. The respect she holds for you, Miroku-san, is not unfounded."

"But—"

"I would advise you not to tell her about this for her own good."

"What? And if I did?" he asked, trying to rail against what his mind was already telling him was inevitable.

"You really just have two choices, Miroku-san," Ken smirked at him making the violet eyed man gulp. "It's either let me deal with Inuyasha; or let Kagome die."

Miroku couldn't even begin to think how he was going to answer that question. All he could do as he stood there beside the basket of innocent talismans was to shake and grind his teeth at his helplessness.

"How…" he managed to croak after a few moments as he fell back on the stump he had been sitting on earlier before the bespectacled soukoku approached him. "How did everything come to _be_ this way…? How am I going to explain this to my _wife_…?"

He watched the bespectacled soukoku nod to him one last time and merely walk away leaving him to ponder over that question himself. Miroku closed his eyes trying to calm himself. The bastard did a good job telling _him_ about his intentions. Bitterly he knew that after being given that choice he would be paralyzed until he could get some sort of solution to his problem. Also, it was not hard for someone like him to figure out from all those hints that whatever Kagome got herself into involved the Shikon no Tama and he knew, most of all that once something was started with the damned jewel that there was no way it could be stopped; not even by its keeper. Ken had effectively trapped him into inaction because he certainly could not tell Sango about this; his wife just gave birth and setting out tosave their hanyou friend would be suicidal at this point not to mention harmful for their children. He could tell Kagome but… he said Kagome would be paying the price if his plan was not allowed to come to fruition.

At least he knew just why he was so unsettled by the younger man now, Miroku thought to himself, remembering the image he had seen over the young man's figure earlier when he had first seen him.

Murata Ken was a schemer and he was unsure whether or not Kagome knew just how much of a manipulator that person was. Miroku had been a con man himself back in the day so he could smell the same trait on other people just as well. Usually this would not worry him since Miroku could usually outwit the best of them all with his talent and experience at the art. But somehow he knew, deep in his mind that this man who was so obviously younger than he was. Murata Ken had experience by the dozen. It was frightening that a man as young as this had so much power and knowledge.

When next Miroku opened his eyes it was to an already bright day. The sun had fully risen even though the cold of an early morning had yet to lift from the land. From the house he could hear the faint sounds of his wife calling out to someone; the light baritone voice of the answer seemed to come from that hanyou Conrad; it sounded like he was looking for his older brother, the one who had almost cut him in half yesterday.

At the moment, he didn't really care at this point. What he wanted was for his brain to start working. What he wanted to do was to save both his friends' lives. The thing is…

He just didn't know how he was going to do that…

/*****/

"Good morning."

"Oh, good morning, Yuuri-dono, Conrad-dono, Wolfram-dono," Sango smiled at him as she busily prepared breakfast. The Maou's ever observant eyes noted how slowly she was moving this morning. "If you will just wait a moment I will have breakfast ready in a bit."

"Uh, okay, thanks." Wolfram started looking left and right.

Yuuri asked the question he had been itching to ask since he woke up. "Um… where's Kagome, Sango-san?"

"Oh, a villager came by and asked for her assistance in his wife's birthing last night so she might come along a little bit later." Sango answered as she filled a pot with water.

"Don't you have midwives and doctors for that?" Wolfram scowled.

"Doc-tors? Oh, you mean those healing shamans Kagome was always talking about?"

"Err…"

"Wolfram, they don't have doctors here yet." Yuuri whispered to the blond while Conrad chuckled.

Sango merely smiled. "Sorry about this, they always go crazy when she comes by; it's like she's the only one who can make everything better, in their opinion."

"Oh," Yuuri laughed faintly. Seeing how Sango was about to lift the pot to put it on her stove, he immediately moved forward to assist her. "Gosh, we must have been really tired; I didn't even hear anyone move when she left."

"That's because you're a wimp," Wolfram ignored Yuuri's glare as he leaned against the post that made up the kitchen's threshold and Conrad moved to assist the soukoku ruler. "She's been out since last night during their bath."

"What? Then she hasn't even gotten a lot of sleep yet?" Yuuri exclaimed in disbelief. "And out of all of us, she's been through a lot the most what with this whole emotional extravaganza with Inuyasha!"

"If you're this worried then we should find her and get her back here, force some sleep on her." Wolfram straightened, prepared to approach out the door.

"Don't bother," Everyone stopped and stared at Sango who was now chopping up some potatoes with a sad smile on her face and shot Yuuri and Wolfram a glance. "If you've known her for as long as you said you did then you of all people should know better that she won't leave that woman's side until she's sure both mother and child are safe."

The two felt themselves deflate at her words. She was right, after all.

"Oh, by the way!" Yuuri stood straight and Sango turned towards him, wondering what he wanted to say. They were all surprised when he suddenly bowed low to her. "I just wanted to say thank you very much... For taking care of my sister all this time. She told me a lot of great things about you."

Conrad smiled as he watched and copied Yuuri, bowing low as well. "Yes, thank you very much for taking care of my lady."

"What are you two _doing_, Yuuri? _Weller_, stop _copying_ him!" Wolfram squawked.

Sango didn't seem to know what to say for a moment but eventually she smiled warmly at them both and nodded. "I didn't do much. If anything _I_ should be the one thanking Kagome. If it weren't for her I would have eventually snapped after Naraku killed my family and my village."

Both half mazoku straightened and watched her curiously as she went back to administering to breakfast while Wolfram seethed despite his own curiosity.

"Kagome said Naraku tricked you into attacking Inuyasha and gave you a jewel shard to numb whatever pain you were feeling." Conrad said and Yuuri shuddered at how terrible that must have been.

Sango echoed the sentiment with a shudder of her own. "Yes, that was a terrible time; but during those moments the pain in my body was as nothing to the pain in my heart. I can still remember how it felt like to have that jewel in my body." she gave off another violent shudder and looked like she was going to be sick. "To be honest I really cannot understand how Kagome manages to control that jewel. Having it inside your body makes it feel as though something slimy and rotting was in your gut and threatening to consume you into in a endless void of darkness."

Ken entered the kitchen from the back door all of a sudden with his usual smile, surprising everyone. "Maybe because Kagome's soul keeps the jewel pure?"

"Oi, Murata, where were you?" Yuuri cocked a brow at him. "We woke up and you were gone!"

"Sorry; early riser."

"That can be it," Sango nodded after a bit of an afterthought, gathering their attention once more. "But I swear to you, Ken-dono, I do not understand how that jewel is so wanted when it can make you feel so sick."

"Sick?" Yuuri asked, his brows furrowing, obviously thinking of his sister.

Sango nodded. "Yes; wearing that jewel feels like you are carrying all the dark desires of the world with just that one shard. Its evil is so overwhelming it makes you wish to die if you do not have a wish you wanted to make. Kagome says she really doesn't feel that when I asked her about it once, though."

"It's probably the reason why she understands Kikyou so well." Yuuri muttered, gathering a surprised look from the female demon slayer.

She blinked at him. "You are not disturbed by this?"

"No," Yuuri scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I already tried getting angry and I've only started to understand Kagome better recently when it came to her determination to save Inuyasha and Kikyou."

"I envy you," Sango commented with a frown. "I have never really developed a tolerance for Inuyasha's fickle behaviour. I tried not to get in the middle too often but sometimes... it becomes too much, you know? It's hard to see Kagome try so hard to make sure they're happy when she becomes neglected and forced to face problems she didn't have to."

Yuuri bowed his head in silence, not happy to hear more evidence of Inuyasha's carelessness with his sister.

"Well that's the reason why I have had no doubt she was this wimp's sister at all," Wolfram shoved Yuuri's side with an elbow, surprising the dark haired soukoku ruler out of his contemplation. "They're both idiots when it comes to themselves."

Sango's laughter made them stare at her and smile. She had a lovely, tinkly laugh, like wind chimes. At this angle it was apparent as to how Miroku fell in love with her.

"That's pretty accurate, alright." Sango continued to chuckle, peeking at Yuuri who blinked at the attention. "You're really going with her up top Mt. Fuji?"

Yuuri smiled back at her a little bit sheepishly. "I am not leaving her alone anymore."

Sango nodded, satisfied. "She's still in love with him; she'll always love him. Miroku tells me to stay out of it but I know he feels the same way about it too. Kagome deserves to be loved by a person who will honor her more than his own desires and more than his own self. Please take care of her."

"You don't even have to ask, Sango-san." Yuuri replied with a smile.

"Whatever," Wolfram scowled, turning his nose up at Sango. "Let's just go find that sister of your and bring her back here. She needs to get some _rest_."

"Well if you want to pick her up she should be at the house near the back of the village," Sango gave them directions. "Just ask around for Kntaro and his wife. If I know Chizuru-baa she would have already told the entire village that they have a child now."

"Alright," Ken then looked around himself as everyone else started for the door. "Say, I've been meaning to ask, Sango-san, but do where was the Wolf prince from last night?"

"Oh, Kouga?" Sango blinked. "He was well enough to walk so I gave him one of the rooms inside the house; he must still be asleep."

"That must have been one easy life he's got," Wolfram commented sardonically. "All he's got to do is lie around like he doesn't care about anything at all."

"Wolfram," Yuuri sighed as he grabbed the blond by the sleeve and started dragging him outside the house. "Give the guy a break; he was wounded!"

"Tch, I knew you'd forgive him already. Wimp."

Their argument carried into the early morning air even as the four men from Shin Makoku and the future walked out in search of the raven haired priestess and their brother.

/*****/

As a boy, the monk named Ungai was abandoned by his parents on the steps of a small roadside Buddha statue in the mountains up north during the beginnings of winter. He thought he was no older than five back then and even at a young age he understood that such a practice was not uncommon during those days of the Feudal Era where wars constantly burned crops and left families hungry and dying in the aftermath.

It was nearing winter and all he had as a friend was what was left of his mother's thickest kimono she had wrapped him in before she was ushered away by his father, both sobbing their despair. He remembered he could still smell her scent on it so he cuddled into and waited to die.

"What's this we have here?" he remembered a slick voice sounding out from within the forest that was already dimming in response to that ending winter day.

At first, Ungai thought he was dreaming that he was having an illusion caused by his hunger and sadness. But a few moments after out from the darkness came an abnormally large bat demon. Ungai remembered it grinning at him as it slunk towards him step by ominous step.

Ungai had never seen a demon before but he had heard enough to know what they were after. Human flesh was a preference and children were most adored in their menu and for the first time since being abandoned in the nothingness, he felt fear grip his insides.

"What do we have here?" he remembered the demon's voice say. "Perhaps this day is lucky for me. Food comes easy even in the winter for the great God of the Mountain."

Said 'god' opened up his mouth revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth and was just leaning down towards the terrified boy to take part on his meal when suddenly, Ungai felt warmth explode from his left. He watched as the bat demon turned towards the warmth with wide, shocked eyes before being engulfed in a bright light and disappearing into ash. So much ash that Ungai was practically buried in it.

Footsteps crunched in the frozen snow and the boy wearily remembered thinking what kind of demon was going to eat him now but then he felt the touch of a human hand on his head. And when he looked up he saw the sight of a pair of warm human eyes staring back at him.

"Are you alright, boy?" the man asked him, concern laced in his warm eyes. "What happened? Why are you here?"

Ungai told him everything and after hearing his story that man dressed in monk robes and a wide straw hat took him in, fed him and taught him the ways of Buddha along with others in a large shrine. He had become Ungai's new father. He excelled in everything he was taught.

Especially demon extermination.

He was brought up by the shrine and shown how demons can destroy countless of lives in the name of their cruelty. Like animals they lavish suffering and tragedy and their shrine's mission was to put an end to it all. Ungai never really understood all of this until the monk who brought him to the shrine was killed when he was fifteen. And that by a half demon called Naraku.

Ungai, in his grief, couldn't help but think that if a half demon could do so much damage to a powerful monk such as that monk then what more could full demons do? It was at that point that his unwavering resolve that demons are the root of all evil took root and he became the most powerful demon exterminator and exorcist in the shrine. Now that he was on his pilgrimage to master enlightenment he swore he would destroy as many demons as he could and save the ones corrupted by them. He will never allow them to have their own way with humans as long as he lived.

Along the way he had gathered other monks and miko of the same way of thinking and he confessed it had been a surprise to him how many followers he had acquired over time. He had even sought out the Shikon no Miko four years before when he heard she was on the journey to defeat Naraku to aid her and avenge his master's death but she had proved to be always out of reach. When he heard she was accompanied by a hanyou she had caught along with demons who obeyed her commands his desire to meet her increased and so during his pilgrimage he continued to seek her. As he did her legend grew. He knew that if he spoke to her she would aid them together with the power of the Shikon no Tama to rid this world of demons. And now it seemed his wish will be fulfilled…

Together with the Shikon no Miko he would make this world clean of all the sufferings the demons have spread. Together they could make paradise.

Together they could save the world…

Ungai looked around the small village the morning he arrived, carefully hiding his eyes beneath his wide brimmed hat. He and his group were receiving rather curious looks but, as of yet, he could sense no hint of fear or anxiety in these people. Were there really demons in this area? From his experience; demon infested land usually took on the form of a nightmare. A landscape of dreary darkness and gloom. A sense of doom hanging in the air drawn into a picture by the presence of bones and death and the putrid smell of the unclean.

However this village was far different from that. In fact, it was far more peaceful and cheerful looking than any of the previous villages he had visited; even the ones near the capital itself. This village had a warmth in it that spoke of sweet smelling peace. It was not _hallow_ by any stretch of the imagination but… it made him want to put his guard down.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He suspected everything as was trained in him and from the experiences he had garnered during his long travels.

This aura of peace only meant one of two things. Either Kikyou was lying or... these people were willingly _harboring_ demons.

The latter possibility was very disconcerting.

"Ungai-sama?"

Ungai looked over his shoulder slightly to listen to one of his fellow monks who had come forward to speak with him. "What is it?"

"I know this village," the other monk said. "It is as that woman said; this was the destroyed demon slayer's village that was decimated during the time of Naraku when he was still searching for the Shikon no Tama."

Ungai blinked at this information. "I see."

If that were true then he should not worry. Surely this village would not condone harboring demons after its history with the unholy creatures. He may just be worrying over nothing.

He narrowed his eyes over the horizon and was relieved to see a shrine rising over the village on a seemingly man made hill. At least these people had _some_ form of religion. If the Shikon no Miko was anywhere in this village then she should be in that shrine. It was the only place fitting for one of her station.

"Come," he told his fellow holy men who huddled behind him at his gesture. "Let us go visit the shrine and pay our respects to the monk here."

"Yes, sir."

"YUURI! YOU _CHEATER_!"

Surprised, the group of reiki users stopped and turned towards the angry accusation and saw an unusual group.

"I was just asking them where Kagome _is_!"

"Wolfram—"

"Shut up, Weller!"

"Now, now, Lord von Bielfelt; none of that."

Ungai stopped, frowning at the foreign sounding names, his eyes immediately whirling to search for its intended owners and the villagers who seem to be eyeing these creatures with a kind of find acceptance. His hawk like eyes zeroed in on the unusual color of gold on top of a beautiful head. So beautiful it could only belong to a demon. Looking at the others he could sense a pair of half breeds as well and the villagers were all regarding them quite amiably. He did not like how comfortable these demons were in the midst of all these humans.

"Ungai-sama…" one of his monks began to whisper in his ear. "There is no doubt about it; those people are—"

"Hanyou and a demon," Ungai answered back. "Yes, I can see."

"This must have been the hanyou that woman Kikyou warned us about." One of the miko commented behind them, her face wreathed in a blush. "And what a beautiful daiyoukai!"

"_Do not be deceived_," Ungai waved his shakujou wide as though to dispel their earthly desires. "That creature is _not_ human and is not meant for this world!"

This seemed to rally his followers since, at his words; they all took their serious stances once more.

"Come," Ungai said as he took out the white beads Kikyou had given him last night. "We will show these demon loving villagers the true colors of such filthy creatures and have them cast these vile creatures out!"

The travelling monk wrapped the white beads Kikyou gave him around his wrists and formed the mudra 'Rin' symbol with his hands and started chanting. "Naumaku sanmanda bazara dan kan… Naumaku sanmanda bazara dan kan… Naumaku sanmanda bazara dan kan… Naumaku sanmanda bazara dan _kan_!"

At the final part of the chant, the string of white beads around his wrists dispersed and turned into balls of light which floated around Ungai lazily. However, when he pointed his right hand towards Conrad they flew towards the half Mazoku like arrows of light.

Conrad heard the tail end part of the chanting and turned his head in time to see more than a dozen balls of white light coming towards him with lightning speed. Honed by his years as a swordsman, he acted swiftly, shoving Yuuri and the others away to prevent them from becoming a casualty before jumping out of the way to save himself. As he was suspended in mid air the half Mazoku knight assessed the situation with battle honed eyes and noticed the cluster of people dressed in garb similar to that of Miroku and Kagome.

But none of their eyes staring up at him had their compassion.

None of them had their warmth.

"It's quick!" one of the monks who was behind the one who was chanting commented in angry disbelief. "Could it be half weasel demon?"

"We'll see about that." one of the miko called before joining Ungai with the chanting.

With her voice adding strength to whatever it was that was chasing him, the small balls of light turned and changed course to head towards his direction in mid air.

"CONRAD!" he heard Yuuri cry out from somewhere below.

"Hah!" one of the younger monks cried out triumphantly. "Let's see you dodge that while you are up there, hanyou!"

The balls of light were increasing speed and were following the commands of the monk's hand so he could direct the projectiles wherever he wished with just the flick of a wrist.

Conrad knew he couldn't possibly dodge so he did the next best thing. Pulling out his sword he batted at the while balls of light as though they were baseballs. With this he had evaded them successfully while he landed safely on the ground. He was ready enough to strike at the other balls that were trying to get to him again.

The monks and miko couldn't do anything but gape while Ungai kept his stance.

"Kami…"

"Did you see?"

"His stance has no openings!"

"How can a mere hanyou be so skilled?!"

Conrad didn't even spare them a glance. All he knew was that he must not get hit by any of these balls of light and he must protect the Maou. If they posses the same abilities as Kagome then he should be very wary of this attack.

Another barrage came and he faintly heard Wolfram call his name but he couldn't afford to lose his concentration. He was in the middle of a battle.

More of the balls of light came at him and again he jumped out of the way, effectively preventing them. Every time they hit the ground or a tree or the side of a house they would get buried in the surface and leave a scorch mark but with the monk's control they would get pulled up again soon and come after him again.

The half Mazoku knight saw another couple of light beams coming at him from the front as well as another half dozen in the back. He almost smirked at the amateurish move and he immediately swatted them away. However, when he saw a glimpse of the chanting monk's now smirking face he was put immediately on alert but…

It was too late for him to dodge.

The rest of the light balls came from the left and ambushed him as he was taking care of the attack coming to his back. Conrad prepared himself for pain but instead of hitting him like he thought they were supposed to do, the balls of light merely suspended themselves one by one a few inches away from around his neck until it formed a full circle like a glowing, floating necklace.

His arm still spread too far away from his body to be of any use, Conrad had no choice but stand there and allow it to happen. When the beads stopped and completed the necklace, he waited for some sort of pain.

It never came.

"What—?" he tried to pull the string of beads off his neck but he was stunned to find out how hard it was and how much pain it caused him. It was like being electrocuted from within.

It gave off a shock of lightning that stopped him from moving.

"Did you really think it was going to be that easy, hanyou?" the monk who was chanting earlier asked, that smug on his face apparent for all to see.

Conrad struggled to move but failed. He struggled against the sizzling bolts of lightning that seemed to make his mind insist on stopping his body from moving. "W-what have you… done… to me…?"

Shinou, he could barely even speak.

He could vaguely make out the voices of Yuuri, the Great Sage and Wolfram calling for help but for some reason, he was beginning to lose sight of everything except the view in front of him which was the image of the stern looking monk who was now looking back at him with such ironically benevolent yet cold eyes. It reminded him of the kind of look Gwendal had when he was still leading the army back during those days of war when blind resolution and determination dominated his brother's world. That time when one cannot afford second thoughts or hesitation. The kind that allowed him to order Hube's exile and bear Shin Makoku's sins.

"Wh-who… are you…?" he asked again. He was starting to feel hot. As though the blood inside him was set on a stove and had left him to slowly simmer.

Conrad was starting to feel sick.

He was promptly ignored as the monk with the wide brimmed hat turned towards his companions and addressed the miko he had been chanting with earlier. "What do you think?"

The miko walked towards a paralyzed Conrad as he continued to struggle even as cold eyes assessed him from head to foot before nodding over to the monk. "Yes, he is hanyou, Ungai-sama; but he is an unusual one."

Ungai? Where had he heard that name before?

"Unusual? How?"

The miko seemed uneasy for a moment before speaking again. "He has no malice in him. I can sense a frightening power, though; something I have never seen in a hanyou."

"Is that so?" Ungai commented and continued to observe Conrad with his calculating eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Wolfram's voice demanded angrily.

"Let him go!" Yuuri pleaded.

Ungai looked around him and for the first time noticed the healthy number of villagers who have gathered angrily around them shouting for this hanyou's release behind the remaining hanyou and blond demon.

"Ungai-sama," one of the monks he was with whispered in his ear even as he and their other companions started behind him warily. They had never had to face such a crowd since human communities tend to look up to them out of respect and fear. "If this continues we might end up with a riot on our hands; what should we do?"

Ungai scowled and calmly stood still, facing the yelling crowd. "It is time to break them of this hanyou's spell."

"It must be strong for these villages to react so hostilely against us," one of the miko with them added in. "It may have something to do with the beautiful human face he is using to hide his true nature from these people."

"I agree," an older monk nodded, watching the crowd in disapproval. "These cursed creatures can lure mortals to their death so easily using their own lusts against them."

"We must save them from themselves, Ungai-sama."

"I agree."

"VILLAGERS, HEAR ME!" Ungai's strong, powerful voice rang out into the area and pierced through the voices of the crowd. "MY NAME IS UNGAI AND MY COMPANIONS AND I HAVE HEARD OF YOUR PLIGHT! THAT YOU HAVE BEEN CAUGHT UNDER THE EVIL SPELL OF THIS HANYOU AND OTHER DEMONS!"

The villagers frowned and started looking at one another in confusion.

One of the women in the village stepped forward and yelled back defensively. "Conrad-sama is Kagome-sama's friend and he has done nothing to harm us since they had come here! Let him go!"

The other villages seconded her voice loudly.

"YOU HAVE BEEN DECEIVED!" Ungai roared, taking the villagers aback. "An impure soul is an impure soul and there is nothing you can do to change that! It is in his nature to be evil! A good demon is a dead demon and it is our mission as part of the holy orders of Buddha to save those who had been befuddled by these filthy beings!"

Conrad continued to struggle. If he was hearing all this correctly then he should go to Yuuri's side as fast as possible before they had the chance to harm him.

_He needed to protect Yuuri_!

An older man came forward, his cane a sturdy support beneath him. "Please, monk-sama; this village is built on peace. We do not desire any trouble here and have lived with the demons and hanyou that have been companions of the Shikon no Miko and our own Miroku-sama as they hunted for the shards of the Shikon no Tama. We are at peace here; here, we coexist."

"YOU CAN NEVER TRUST THE DEMONS AND THOSE WHO HOLD THEIR BLOOD!" Ungai yelled, his eyes flaming in his impassioned rage and sense of righteousness; offended by the very suggestion of coexisting with demons. To him, it defied the very nature of his beliefs and existence. "YOU CAN NEVER TELL WHEN THEY WILL ATTACK YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND EVEN YOU!

"HERE!" Ungai held his left hand up in the mudra 'Rin' symbol again, his eyes blazing. "I will show you all EXACTLY what kind of nature this beast hides behind his human form!"

Ungai started chanting and as soon as he began Conrad froze.

No matter how much he tried he ended up paralyzed, he couldn't even move his fingers. It was as though his blood had turned into burning metal inside him pinning him motionless. His sword slipped out of nerveless hands and his breath started shortening. He could feel the blood in his veins start to grow so hot he thought steam must have been rising through his eyes.

In seconds, his whole body felt like it was on fire.

And then, as he watched the world through the burning prison of his mind, Conrad saw his fingernails extend. They were hideously clawed and he heard himself snarling. Like a monster.

And that monster was headed for Yuuri and his brother.

"Yuuri…" Conrad heard himself say, his voice going raw with every word that came out of his mouth. "Run…"

And then the world turned black as he lost control of everything that made him himself…

Ungai himself was surprised by the amount of power that had taken to command the beads Kikyou gave him. It also surprised him that such a pure looking article could feel so... dirty in a sense that it felt like using the beads like tainted his reiki. Despite that he held his position and continued to hold the half demon they have called Conrad in his grasp.

Using his reiki he watched with well hidden awe as the composed half demon of a moment ago who had evaded the attacks of his followers started to demonstrate the speed and poise of a weasel demon. In place of the attractive humanoid features he had sported earlier the half demon now had sharp fangs protruding out of his mouth. The well manicured nails had now sprouted talons that can tear human flesh in a moment. His eyes had turned blood red and caramel brown hair had now been tinged by the rusty color of dried blood reflecting the youki that was spreading around the tall figure like a thick cloud.

Ungai had to wonder just how powerful this being was since he still had the strength to maintain a humanoid form despite already being out of control. Could it be that this person was much more dangerous than he had originally thought?

The half demon jumped up into the air and threw air sickles at his former companions while suspended above them all. The blond demon rushed in front of the younger, ebony haired half demon with a strange sword drawn in an attempt to protect him but was hit in the shoulders causing him to kneel on the ground in pain and release the weapon in his hand.

"_Wolfram_!"

"Don't just stand there, stupid Yuuri! RUN!" the blond yelled back at the worried half demon.

"Shibuya, look out _he's coming_!"

They all watched Yuuri looked up just as the one they called Conrad descended on them with outstretched claws and a blood thirsty grin on his face intent in tearing the younger hanyou's face off. Before Conrad succeeded, however, Yuuri was suddenly gone and the spot he was standing on before merely had a large hole on it with Conrad snarling in his direction.

Yuuri also realized someone was holding onto him. He looked up and saw Kouga's face, trying to hide his pain away with a confident smirk.

"Careful there," the Wolf prince told him even as he kept wary blue eyes at the half Mazoku knight. "If anything happens to you, Kagome'll never talk to me again."

"Kouga-san?!" Yuuri blinked up at him in surprise.

"I gotta admit your friend's fast, even faster than I am on a good day," Kouga said again, assessing the situation. "And he smells exactly like that Mutt-face the night I fought him."

Yuuri understood when he remembered how Kagome used to tell him about her friends in the Feudal Era and that this demon prided himself on his speed. The injured wolf demon used the remains of his speed to save him despite his injuries and Yuuri couldn't help but feel a little guilty at the mean way he treated him last night.

"Kouga—"

"Shibuya! INCOMING!" Ken yelled at him from somewhere.

Before Yuuri knew it, he was lifted and hopped away to another side of the road they were fighting on, barely escaping another swipe from Conrad's air sickles. Kouga started running around while carrying him dodging more of the wind based attack. Yuuri had to admit that the wolf demon's speed impressed him. If Kouga was this fast normal then how much would he have been with the Shikon shard in his leg?

His ruminations were interrupted when Kouga suddenly stopped and fell. The blue eyed demon was hit in the leg.

"_Damn_ it!" Kouga groaned through gritted teeth. "Bastard's _got_ me!"

Yuuri looked down at the dark skinned demon's legs and saw the bleeding cut that almost severed Kouga's leg from the knee down. Terror bled into heart when he realized what kind of trouble they were in. The Maou stood up and threw his arms out in front of Kouga trying to protect him from the now approaching Conrad who had stopped sending air sickles their way, confident now that his prey had fallen.

"NO! Conrad, STOP!" Yuuri began to plead at his godfather. "PLEASE! I'm BEGGING YOU!"

"WELLER!"

"SIR WELLER!"

But the Conrad did not show any signs of heeding their voices. He was bent on killing them all to satisfy the fire in his blood.

Ungai, of course, did not feel any sort or sense of satisfaction like most would have assumed someone like him would feel as he watched the scene. Just a cold sense of righteousness in knowing that he had done the right thing. That he had rid the world of one less impurity that had dared to threaten humans. In fact, he had started to turn around to address the horrified villagers who have scattered around so as to not be involved in the fight but reluctant to leave the demons to their fate.

"_Ungai-sama!_"

The monk's eyes widened and turned back towards the fight when he felt an extremely powerful youki burst from behind him.

The young man called Yuuri had stood up and stepped in front of his comrades only to release a frightfully powerful youki in the form of water dragons that surrounded the berserker half demon and bound him around the arms and wrists and dragging him from the ground. When Yuuri turned towards Ungai and his group, the monk along with his followers couldn't help but take a step back when they saw the cold, cat-slit eyes that peeked out from a face that promised them no mercy. And when the hanyou spoke it was as though the world around them bowed to his very presence.

"Let him go." Yuuri ordered. His voice deep and commanding.

Where before his tone was a bit high, young and awkward _this_ voice he was using now was low, whole, certain and… deadly. It asked for no kindness and promised none of it in return.

He stood there like an emperor. He sounded like a king.

Ungai had been a monk for most of his life but never— _never_— had he _ever_ felt inferior to anyone; not even a demon of the purest lineage or a nobleman of the highest rank. And yet, standing before this being it was as though his very presence made him want to bow his head.

A _half_ demon of all things.

Panicked, a number of the younger monks who followed Ungai acted without thinking and released a series of powerfully chanted ofuda at this creature in black.

"NO! STOP, YOU FOOLS!"

Yuuri dodged these by side stepping, taking in some scratches from the reiki soaked pieces of paper but his stance remained unaffected.

"I _said_," the black hanyou was now looking directly into his eyes so fiercely it almost stopped the old monk's heartbeat. "Let. Him. Go."

"Kami…" one of the monks breathed even as he rushed to catch one of the miko who had fainted at the excess of youki Yuuri was emitting. "What is he…?"

"To be able to such a powerful hanyou in the throes of his bloodlust…" one of the other monks whispered in awe. "It is just not possible…"

Ungai sensed the morale of his followers dropping and despite hiw own fear he forced himself to step forward and assert dominance. "DEMON! I won't let you defeat me—"

Water dragons burst from the potent youki gathered around Yuuri who didn't even bat an eyelash as the representations of his power began to choke Ungai and his followers to death. Ungai tried to call on his prayers and chants as did his other followers but they were too busy trying to gasp for air to concentrate.

As Ungai was trapped in the belly of the enormous water dragon, he forced one of his eyes open to glare at the still calm demon in pure black and knew fear. Fear such as nothing he had felt ever since he had been a helpless child and about to be devoured by that lone bat demon. Back when he was saved by the monk who had been his savior and his sensei. But now there was no one to save him anymore. He was about to die a hopeless, cruel death…

"YUURI, _NO_!"

All of a sudden, Ungai and the other monks and miko found themselves free of the water dragons' chokeholds and back on the ground again trying to get as much precious air into their deprived lungs as they could. When they managed to look up to find out what was going on they saw that the water dragons and the youki coming from the black demon who had just tried to kill them being held back by a powerful pink barrier and a woman with tousled ebony hair standing in between the onyx demon and them.

"Stand down, Yuuri." They heard her ordering the demon.

"But they started it!" Wolfram shouted back at her, defending their king. He was being helped up by another man with a monk's robes and had a pair of violet eyes. "Look at what they did to Weller!"

"I said _stand down_." She repeated, her voice implacable and would brook no refusal. "_My_ people, _my_ turf, _my_ way; remember?"

"They hurt Conrad…" was all an angry Yuuri could say as he stiffened under her touch.

She glanced at the still snarling Conrad, her eyes widening at the white beaded necklace around his neck and her eyes hardened. "It's okay; I'll take care of it, I _promise_."

"I want _justice_." The still stoic Yuuri growled, his eyes staring right past her to Ungai and his followers beyond.

"They're _mine_; you stay out of this." She shot back at him firmly. "I mean it, Yuu-chan, you _promised_; stand_ down_. _Now_."

It did not take an especially clever man to figure out who she was.

For a moment Ungai thought the dark demon was not going to comply to her command but to their surprise he did. Slowly but surely they could all feel the enormous, hair raising youki being drawn back like a retreating tide until barely a flicker of it was left. And in the place of the cold, merciless hanyou that had released that youki was the wide eyed young man who had misled them into thinking he had been the weakest and harmless being in the group. He seemed to look no less angry but his anger seemed much more contained now if no less expressive. The expression made him look a lot more human and that was the reason why Ungai supposed he and his companions were so deceived. The miko then nodded to a large man who proceeded to hold the ebony demon back with a large hand. Judging by the strange color of his hair and eyes Ungai could see that this was also another demon. Another powerful one at that. He seemed to have no problems obeying the ebony haired miko, though.

Well now at least it was clear where the Shikon no Miko now stood.

He stood up a bit more confidently now along with his followers, taking a step forward to meet with the now approaching young miko, Ungai's expression becoming more benevolent now that he was able to collect himself again.

"Shikon no Miko," he gave her a slight nod of the head since monks were considered higher in rank than miko and since he was older than her he would give her no more than that. "I am glad someone here has finally showed some sense. I am quite relieved that you can easily handle your demon ser—"

He was cut off when; as the miko approached she threw a set of paper cranes the size of large tadpoles at them which, upon impact with the air charged at each of Ungai's followers and the next thing they knew, sharp, pointed lances of light were pointed directly at their jugular, ensuring instant death to any one of them that made even the slightest move.

"Let Conrad go." She ordered in a growling, angry voice.

"Shikon no mi—"

"Are you _deaf_?" she cut him off, her rage so plain it was all they could do not to flinch. "I _said_ let him go! Or I will slaughter each an every one of you right _here_, right _now_."

"But- but that hanyou is dangerous!" protested one of the miko behind Ungai, careful not to move a muscle for fear of being impaled by thelance of light made from Kagome's shikigami. "Surely it is much more safe if we—"

"This area is under _my_ protection!" Kagome spat back, her eyes not looking away from Ungai's and the old monk saw her fury; felt her anger. It almost felt like a goddess was holding him by the throat. "How _dare_ you presume anything here without so much as a by your leave! Let Conrad go _now_ or I will have you skewered one by _one_!"

To say that Ungai and his company was shocked was a big understatement. Trying to keep up a show of courage, Ungai allowed the 'Rin' symbol on his hand to disperse. As soon as he did the white beads around Conrad's neck fell like scattered pearls around him and Conrad fell unconscious on the hard ground. Kagome took careful note of this.

"Conrad!"

"Weller!"

Wolfram and Yuuri were immediately at the russet haired hanyou's side.

Kouga took a sniff around the half Mazoku knight's body and breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, he's just fallen asleep. Must've been exhausting."

"He's right," Murata said after touching a couple of fingers to the knight's jugular to check for a pulse. "We better get him under a roof."

"I'll take him," Gwendal's voice spoke up as he knelt down on one knee, his hand protectively over his half brother's head. "Let us wait for Kagome first."

"I'll be fine!" Kagome yelled back at them. "Take care of Conrad!"

But Gwendal and the others did not move, merely showering the outsiders frozen cold glares. Kagome, however, released her hold on her shikigami which all went back into their forms of tiny paper cranes but her anger was far from satisfied.

"Just what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?!" the Shikon no Miko yelled at them angrily, her eyes burning like onyx fire as she shouted in Ungai's face. "Who _are_ you people?!"

She was cut off by the violet eyed monk who ran toward her after making sure Conrad was alright and separated her from the older monk with an outstretched arm. "Now, now, Kagome-sama, let them talk."

"Peace, sister, we apologize for assuming much in your territory," one of the miko following Ungai stepped forward with a smile for her obviously already seeing her as an ally. "We are a fellowship of monks and miko just like you who specialize in exterminating demons. Since these demons were wandering freely we thought only to help you."

"We are your allies," one of the younger monks nodded to the younger woman, seemingly fascinated at Kagome's countenance. "This is Ungai-sama, our leader. We have come seeking the Shikon no Miko."

"Well if it is the Shikon no Miko you are looking for then you are correct in your assumption; you have already found her," the violet eyed monk said; his face calm and a study of cordiality. "This is Higurashi no Kagome, the keeper of the Shikon no Tama; and I am Miroku, a simple retired monk who lives in this village."

Most of the miko and even some of the monks behind Ungai knelt down in front of her with their heads bowed; Ungai himself nodded to her respectfully, considering her equal to his standing already. "We are honored to finally meet the miko who had defeated the evil hanyou Naraku."

"Well met," Miroku bowed to them in return. Kagome refused to comply. "Is there a reason why you and your company are here in this village, Ungai-sama?"

"In fact, there is." Ungai replied, his voice gaining more confidence now that he was speaking to a human being.

"Oh? How can we help you then?" Miroku replied.

"We are here to offer the Shikon no Miko the opportunity to join us in our quest to purify the world." Ungai replied boldly before meeting eyes with the ebony eyed priestess.

"Really?" Ungai did not like the edge of insolence in her tone. "And just what are we supposed to be purifying the world _of_ exactly?"

He decided to ignore this. "What else? The ones you have pledged to protect humans from, of course."

"We see that you have been doing great by your duty," the first miko who first spoke to her added, her smile getting wider. "Enslaving powerful ones like these is truly a testament of your skill as a miko; you do us proud."

"Enslave…?" the look on Kagome's was blank and confused.

Miroku sought to intervene again. "If you mean Yuuri-dono and these fine fellows behind us then you are mistaken, Ungai-sama. They are _not_ our slaves."

Ungai and the miko behind him narrowed their eyes. "What do you mean?"

"They're not slaves," Kagome growled out in a low voice. "They're my _friends_. My very _important_ friends."

The miko laughed delicately behind her hand. "Surely you jest, Kagome-sama. Such a blasphemous ideal, truly!"

"Perhaps you are merely being too modest," the young monk from earlier grinned at her sweetly. "There's no need for such a thing; each of us here has heard about your greatness. Please join us; with you by our side even the lords and the emperor himself will surely support us in our quest to save the country from these barbaric and unholy beings."

"I refuse." She started to turn around. "Miroku, I won't even waste my time; get them out of my sight before Yuuri flips out and turns them into fertilizer."

Ungai and all his followers stood there paralyzed by her blunt refusal. His group have gained fame are highly respected in all the villages and cities that had heard of their exploits. Any monk or miko would be _honored_ by the prospect of serving with him for such a noble cause.

Faintly, the miko who had been speaking to her started to speak again. "W-wait a moment, Kagome-sama! Surely you are merely joking!"

"No I'm not."

"But why?!" the younger monk as well as the others in their group were getting angry. "Why would you refuse the opportunity to save your fellow humans?!"

"From what I've seen while I was hopping around the entire country I think you've got it the other way around," Kagome replied with an irritated frown. "Demons may be of tainted blood but some of them can surely act with more decency and honor than most of the people I've seen in my travels."

"Are you saying you are going to choose demons over humans?" Ungai asked, disgusted with her. "That you are going to fight us— your own kind— for these filthy demons?!"

"No; I want to fight for something more than that," she turned to meet his eyes once again and her eyes clearly told her she was decided in her conviction. "I want to fight for the humans and demons who want a safe life coexisting with one another."

One of the monks laughed scornfully at that. "Impossible! Foolishness! That will never happen!"

"Well then look around you, kid," she waved at the angry looking villagers already starting to tend to Wolfram's wounds and the ones who had lifted pitchforks and scythes to try to defend them. "Look again and tell me what's so impossible about that ideal."

"Traitor…" the priestesses started glaring at her, raising their bows in her direction. "Demon's Whore!"

"SHUT UP!" Kagome turned back fully towards them with her hands on her hips, an expression of pure anger on her face, the sheer power she was radiating stunning them all to silence once again. "I don't care what you guys want to believe or not; I am not going to force you to respect what I think or the things I want to believe in but I draw the line at you pushing your beliefs up my nose! I am _not_ prejudiced!"

"How could you?" the younger monks reprimanded her accusingly. "These demons have spread sickness and death in humans! How could you speak like that? You who have seen for yourself just how vile they are and how dangerous they can be?!"

"How can I hate them as much as you do? I have been torn by them, endangered by them several times! So many times I can't keep count anymore," she shot back, completely unrepentant. "But is it so wrong to not want to see half demon children get treated like garbage and outcasts just because they're different? Is it so wrong to not give respect to the lives of youkai who only aim to protect their young and survive? From what I have observed in my travels there are youkai who only seek carnage and ones who only wish to be left alone just as humans are! So how can I not treat them equally?!

"Demons live through the same shades of black as humans live through the same shades of white in this society; they are all varying and gray! I can't look at a thief and decide he is completely evil just as I cannot look at a demon and see a complete monster!"

"Horrible," one of the miko that cane with Ungai looked like she wanted to cry. "She has been brainwashed! It must be true then that she had a demon lover and has sold her soul to the devil!"

"She has been tainted with demon filth!" one of the monks declared in disgust. "She no longer has the right to bear the power of the Shikon no Tama!"

"We should take it and use it for our cause instead!" another miko cried out.

"Oh so _that's_ what this is all about?" Kagome replied in sarcastic exasperation. "So you guys think that bearing the Shikon no Tama makes you flawless? Who sent you here? Kikyou? It was Kikyou, wasn't it?"

"The undead priestess has pointed us in this direction, that is true," the miko replied defensively. "But only because even in death she was a much more capable servant of Kami than you!"

"Really?" Kagome deadpanned. "So much for 'Ridding The World Of All Evil'."

The miko who talked back to her flushed angrily.

"That does not matter," Ungai shot her a deadly glare. "Hand over the Shikon no Tama! You are a traitor to your kind and should not be bearing such a holy artifact. I am sure Midoriko's soul must be cringing being housed in your malignant soul!"

"SAY THAT AGAIN OLD MAN!" Kouga exploded angrily; not being able to take it anymore. "I'm not going to stand here listening to you talk like that to my woman!"

"Moron," Wolfram rolled his eyes at the Wolf prince. "You really want to die that much?"

"Shut up!" Kouga blushed even as he gave Yuuri a wary glance.

Even Yuuri was beginning to let loose again, though. "You guys have got _some_ _nerve_!"

"Oya oya…" Ken pushed up his flashing spectacles in a deceptively calm manner. "That's no way to talk to a lady now."

"You guys are wrong, you know?" Kagome called out to Ungai and his followers grimly. "The Shikon no Tama does not make you flawless; quite the opposite, it corrupts you and your weakness for being human. That jewel mocks humanity it does not help anyone! It is being guarded _for a reason_!"

"YOU AND I ARE THE SAME!" Ungai shouted at the top of his lungs at her. "YOU HAVE JUST BEEN FOOLED BY THESE DEMONS! LET US _SAVE_ YOU, SHIKON NO MIKO!"

At his signal all the monks and miko chanted and raised their powers the same way they did with Kikyou and attacked her, their reiki forming a powerful golden light that intertwined until it seemed as though Kagome was about to be hit by a gigantic, golden sword.

But Kagome merely flipped her wrist up again and in a moment she had barrier up, expelling this ttack and protect the demons directly behind her; her fallen shikigami rose again and again took the form of white hot lances of light aimed directly for their jugulars. One of the monks foolishly tried to block it with his shakujou but his weapon was easily cut apart and his neck bled a little from the slight contact it made with the shikigami.

"Listen to me, you idiots," Kagome told them, still seething and Ungai and his followers had no choice but to listen to her. "When Naraku was defeated let me tell you who it was that defeated him with me.

"Aiding me was a half demon Inu hanyou, a powerful demon lord, a monk, a demon exterminator, a fire cat, a tribe of wolf demons and a little fox kit. All of them risked their lives so you can foolishly act as you are doing right now," she told them through gritted teeth and Ungai felt the prick of her shikigami against his skin almost drawing blood and reflecting her barely controlled rage. "If I ever see any of you harming me or mine ever again I will make sure you'll wish you've never been born. Remember that this land stands as part of the Lord of the Western Lands territory and if he wanted to he'll crush like bugs. I'm sure you remember him, don't you, Ungai-san? Him and that little girl named, Rin?"

Ungai's eyes widened in recollection, taken aback by the memories of his failure. "Y-you don't mean that demon and the child from four years back?!"

"Yes," Kagome nodded at him. "I've seen how he beat your group into nothing and I'm sure you've seen the way Rin followed him despite your warnings and your useless attempts to separate her from him. Even now that child remains a ward of the Lord of the Western Lands."

"LIES!" Ungai yelled out angrily; the memory of his defeat a sore spot in his mind. "DEMONS ARE NOTHING BUT BLOODTHIRSTY CREATURES WHO AIM TO CREATE ILL INTENT FOR MANKIND!"

"That may be so but unless they're after to hurt me and mine the way you just did," Kagome waved her fingers away towards the outskirts of the village causing the shikigami to force their unwanted guests to take steps back. "Then I will offer them the same welcome I would offer a stranger."

The villagers; mostly whom who had daughters and sisters who had been hanyou or who had given birth to hanyou or had demons for lovers, let out a loud cry of agreement before taking their weapons and followed Kagome's shikigami and the retreating monks to make sure they did not attempt to enter the village again.

In his mind Ungai raged, refusing to accept the Shikon no Miko's twisted morals. He swore that he would come back and make her change his mind.

/*****/

"You've just made some very stubborn enemies, Kagome." Miroku muttered beside her as he watched the villagers and the outsider all go. "Ungai is quite the religious zealot. He won't forget this humiliation."

"What's the matter? Worried?" the ebony haired priestess gave the monk a little teasing smile, trying to douse the embers of her anger.

"Are you kidding me?" the violet eyed monk replied with a smirk of his own before praying for the outsiders being driven out. "Buddha bless them if they try to cross the line again. Although I have to say it might take them a while before they tried that once more."

"Send a letter to Sesshoumaru-sama about them; he'll know what to do." She told him before turning towards the others where Gwendal was now supporting a still unconscious Conrad by putting his left arms over his broad shoulders. He was more than capable of carrying his younger brother if he had to.

At the thought of Gwendal's size it invoked the memory of exactly where she woke up that morning. Even now Kagome could still smell the musky, piney scent of earth and spice. She tried very hard not to blush. He was so warm… Inuyasha had never felt so warm… Never made her feel so whole with his arms around her the way Gwendal did when she woke up with him practically wrapped around her… The sensation had been uncontrollable and hot. Just like the emotions she went through in the hot spring. She must have been still been dreaming back then but she could have sworn he was so close he was going to kiss her. The only reason she was saved from an awkward moment with him was the screaming of the villagers that brought them here.

That and of course the feeling of Yuuri's youki threatening to lash out of control because of his fury.

"How is he?" she asked, staring up at Conrad's face which was now back to normal even though his clothing was all torn and tattered.

"He'll be fine," Yuuri was trying to help Gwendal by putting Conrad's other arm around his shoulders as well, she could almost taste his relief. It was a good thing her brother had grown up quite a bit and had reached Conrad's eye level or else this would have been an awkward walk back to Miroku's shrine. "I think he's just tired."

"That's right," Ken nodded. "The forceful expulsion of maryokou from inside him pushed his body to the limit."

"So that's how the beads work?" Kagome asked, picking up some of the white beads still scattered around their feet and held them in her hands. "

Ken nodded to her. "It seems the beads will only remain on as long as the caster holds it together with their reiki."

"I see," Kagome nodded grimly at the beads in her hands. "Then there's no choice. I have to make Kikyou release Inuyasha from them."

Kouga sniffed at the beads in her hands and drew back, seemingly repulsed at the scent. "There's no doubt about it, these smell of that foolish human along with the traces of graveyard dirt and bones. That undead priestess was behind all of this."

"She must have thought to reduce the numbers of companions you can take with you when you face her." Miroku commented, studiously avoiding Ken's eyes.

Kagome had to agree as her eyes roamed from Conrad's unconscious form to Wolfram's wounded one. "Well she certainly got what she wanted. Come on; let's take them back to the shri—"

"KOUGA!"

Everyone was startled when the blue eyed Wolf Prince was bowled over by a blur of red and white and a after another moment, they found Kouga and Ayame on the ground with the red head seemingly determined to hug the poor dark skinned demon to death.

"A-Ayame! What are you doing?! Let GO, you're killing m—"

He was halted by the sound of her sobs as she buried her face against his chest. "Moron! You're such a moron, Kouga! Did you have any idea how worried _sick_ I was?!"

Despite himself Kouga couldn't help but rub her back comfortingly as she cried on him, a sheepish semi blush on his face. "I'm sorry I made you worry; please don't cry anymore, Ayame."

Kagome smiled a little, committing the scene to memory even as another pair of blue eyes from a taller Mazoku lord watched her every move. This may be the last time she would be seeing these two.

Kouga helped Ayame up, careful not to show just how badly hurt he was in front of Ayame, still sheepish at the display of affection from the red headed demoness who turned to Kagome and engulfed her in a hug.

"Thank you, Kagome," she whispered in the miko's ear. "Thank you for giving him back to me…"

For a moment, a sad smile flittered across Kagome's face as she hugged Ayame back. She wondered if Kikyou will say the same words after their encounter tomorrow? Would the undead priestess thank her? Or curse her?

"Just take him home, Ayame," she told the wolf demoness, rubbing their cheeks together as per the rituals of pack. "And send my regards to Kiba-sama."

Ayame pulled away and nodded to her fiercely. "I can come with you; I know Sango won't be able to come because of childbirth but I can take her place and protect you from that undead witch!"

"No, your place is with your pack," Kagome told her firmly. "We've managed to patch Kouga up as best as we could but he's still injured and he needs complete recovery. He needs someone strong beside him when you take him home so his leadership will remain uncontested. That's what a good mate should do."

"Hey wait a minute!" Kouga protested, blushing. "Who said anything about a mate?!"

"Kouga-kun," she smiled at the dark skinned wolf prince in a way that stunned the normally rambunctious demon into fascinated silence. "If you've got half the sense Kami has given you then you'll take Ayame for your mate. Hasn't she proven herself enough already to you?"

"Kagome—"

"Go home," she told him as she turned away and beckoned the others to follow her to get Conrad treated. "And be happy for me."

As she left them there in the middle of a still deserted village the two wolf demons glanced at each other uneasily. They both couldn't get rid of the feeling that Kagome might be saying goodbye…

/*****/

**AN: **Next up is Kagome and Kikyou's final battle! (at last)

Erm… Review?


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